Sioux City, Iowa (RI) – Community leaders in the Sioux City metro are urging the governors of Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota to lobby for federal funding for a project at Sioux City’s airport.
The runway for the Iowa Air National Guard was built for lightweight F-16 fighter jets, but 20 years ago the 185th became a Refueling Wing, flying massive KC-135 Stratotankers that weigh 41-and-a-half tons when fully loaded. Kevin McManany, a Sioux City real estate broker, spoke during a meeting last month with the three governors — and mentioned the Air Force plans to buy new refueling tankers next year.
The first Boeing KC-46 Pegasus tanker was delivered to the Air Force in 2019. Replacing the Iowa Air National Guard’s runway in Sioux City is projected to cost $148 million dollars. The Federal Aviation Administration has set aside $20 million dollars for the project, but that funding will be lost if the Pentagon doesn’t start the project by mid-2027.
South Dakota’s governor says his state is absolutely in support of lining up federal funding to replace the runway.
