KC-135 System Program Office Holds Critical Meetings with Air Force Units Published March 18, 2025 By Katie Ward, EdD, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Legacy Tanker Division TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Oklahoma - The KC-135 System Program Office (SPO) held its annual Product Improvement Working Group (PIWG) and Product Support Enterprise Review (PSER) March 3-6, 2025, at Rose State College, Midwest City, Okla. The KC-135 team also held an Executive Program Management Review (EPMR) on March 7, 2025, at Tinker Air Force Base. The PIWG (March 3-4) covered all technical improvement initiatives for the KC-135 fleet. The PSER portion (March 5-6) served as a holistic weapon system life-cycle management review to enable effective stakeholder engagement. Sustainment challenges, technical requirements, and capabilities were among the many topics discussed. More than 380 military, federal civilians, and industry partners from seven of the nine Major Commands (MAJCOMs) along with the Air National Guard (ANG) attended. Briefers included Col Ross A. Mol, Commander, 848th Supply Chain Management Group (SCMG), Paul Brown, Squadron Director, 564th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (AMXS), plus Weapon System Managers (WSMs) from Air Mobility Command (AMC), ANG, and Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC)/Mx Operations. "The KC-135 enterprise remains the backbone of our nation's Air Refueling fleet,” said SMSgt Jamie Wellbrock, KC-135 Weapon System Manager, AMC. “The teamwork and seamless integration between our MAJCOMs set the standard across our mobility aircraft portfolio. Bringing the total force together in events such as the PIWG/PSER transforms AMC’s and Air Force Materiel Command’s (AFMC’s) visions into generated sorties, fuel offloaded, and ultimately ensures our fighters, bombers, and airlifters can accomplish their missions.” “Working group meetings are critical to keeping our aircraft flying now and into the future. It is vital to have open dialogue with our stakeholders to ensure long-term sustainment of our KC-135 fleet,” added Johanna Brand, KC-135 Product Support Manager, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC). “Our goal is to foster transparency and build trust amongst our KC-135 units across AMC, AFRC, and ANG,” explained Col Michael Kovalchek, KC-135 System Program Manager, AFLCMC. “Our partners collaborate with my team daily to ensure the KC-135 SPO is identifying and mitigating risks early on while leveraging collective intelligence on this aging weapon system. Collaboration has proven to build consensus and drive positive outcomes.” An Air Force workhorse since 1956, the KC-135 Stratotanker is equipped with a flying boom for aerial refueling, operated by a boom operator in the rear of the aircraft. The next PIWG, PSER, and EPMR is scheduled for Spring 2026.