Spotlight!
909th ARS KC-135 Stratotanker pilot conducts preflight check at Kadena AB
By
18th Wing Public Affairs January 5, 2026
Airman 1st Class Arnet Tamayo
18th Wing Public Affairs January 5, 2026
(U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Arnet Tamayo)
U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Kayla Mbaye, 909th Air Refueling Squadron KC-135 Stratotanker pilot conducts a preflight check at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Dec. 18, 2025. The 909th ARS executes rapid deployment of KC-135s to support a multitude of Pacific Air Force missions, demonstrating Kadena’s commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region.