$133 Million Construction Project Underway At March Air Reserve Base

MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CA — One of the oldest airfields operated by the United States military is in Riverside County — and it's getting some upgrades.

Last month, construction started on a new $133 million KC-46 Pegasus hangar and training facility at March Air Reserve Base. Once complete, the project is expected to modernize maintenance and training infrastructure to support the 452nd Air Mobility Wing and long-term mission readiness, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The project includes the construction of a new two-bay aircraft maintenance and fueling hangar designed to simultaneously accommodate one KC-46A aircraft in each bay.

Existing facilities within the project footprint will be demolished to make way for the new structure, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“This is a significant moment for March Air Reserve Base, which has been a cornerstone of American airpower for more than a century,” said Lt. Col. Stephen Brooks, deputy commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District. “This project will ensure it continues that legacy of excellence.”

Brooks' comments were made last month during a groundbreaking ceremony for the project.

Once completed, the hangar will feature reinforced concrete foundations, a steel frame and roof system, insulated metal walls and modern utilities. The facility will include personnel support areas and dedicated storage for hazardous materials, tools, supplies and equipment.

The hangar will also be equipped with fire suppression and fall protection systems, along with environmental controls, such as floor drains connected to the sanitary sewer system and an oil-water separator. Additional work includes communications infrastructure, pavement transitions, parking areas, exterior lighting, fencing, landscaping and other associated site improvements, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

In addition to the hangar, the $133 million project includes significant renovations to Building 1244 to support fuselage training and cargo pallet storage operations, officials said. Planned upgrades include new classrooms, briefing rooms, office space, a breakroom, communications and maintenance areas, and restroom and shower facilities.

Building 1244 will also receive a new roof and updated heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, along with fire suppression capabilities required for fuselage training operations. Existing hangar doors will be sealed, two rollup doors installed, as well as improvements to traffic flow around the facility.

In total, the construction project is expected to take about three years to complete.

Officials said the project is part of a broader KC-46 modernization effort at March Air Reserve Base, with additional work planned in future phases.

The upgrade is also part of an effort to accommodate more KC-46s nationwide, according to Air & Space Forces magazine, which covers defense, aerospace, and airpower. Last month, the magazine reported that the U.S. Air Force is greatly expanding its Pegasus fleet, with a total planned fleet of 263 and deliveries extending into the 2030s.

"With an expected service life of 40 years, according to Pentagon acquisition documents, the KC-46 will likely fly into at least the 2070s," Air & Space Forces reported.

The project at March Air Reserve Base is being carried out in close coordination between the Los Angeles and Louisville districts of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, with the Louisville District awarding the contract in support of the Air Force Reserve Command.

March Air Reserve Base has a very long history. It is one of the oldest U.S. military airfields. It was established as the Alessandro Flying Training Field in February 1918 and later renamed March Field in honor of 2nd Lieutenant Peyton C. March, Jr., son of then-Army Chief of Staff Peyton C. March. The younger March was killed in an air crash in Texas during World War 1, just 15 days after being commissioned.