Military Evacuates Aircraft Ahead of Hurricane Milton Landfall

U.S. Air Force and Navy relocate KC-135 Stratotankers and F-16 fighter jets that sit directly in the storm’s path.

Tuesday, October 08, 2024 at 04:08 PM ET

Verified

The U.S. Air Force is evacuating its fleet of KC-135 Stratotankers from MacDill Air Force base in Tampa, Florida. [Courtesy: Senior Airman Hiram Martinez/U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

U.S. military forces, including the Air Force, Navy, and Space Force, are actively preparing for Hurricane Milton by relocating essential aircraft and closing bases across Florida and southeast Georgia.
MacDill Air Force Base has evacuated its KC-135 Stratotankers for the second time in weeks, while Homestead Air Reserve Base moved F-16 fighters, and Naval Station Mayport is evacuating or hangaring its aircraft.
The hurricane's approach has also led to the closure of Patrick Space Force Base to nonessential personnel and the postponement of NASA's Europa Clipper launch at Kennedy Space Center, in addition to broader airport closures across Florida.

See a mistake? Contact us.

The U.S. Air Force and Navy are preparing for the impending Hurricane Milton by relocating essential aircraft.

Personnel at MacDill Air Force Base (KMCF) in Tampa, Florida, closed the base to all nonessential personnel on Tuesday and have begun evacuating aircraft for the second time in as many weeks following Hurricane Helene. The base avoided the worst of Helene but sits in the middle of Tampa Bay, directly in Milton’s projected path. It is also home to the U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.