Chair Richardson, chair of the Veterans and Military Development Committee, opened a first hearing on House Resolution 243 urging the Secretary of the Air Force to relocate KC‑46 Pegasus aerial refueling aircraft to Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base near Columbus.

The resolution grew out of committee site visits to Rickenbacker and the sponsoring members said the measure is intended to signal state support to Air Force decision‑makers. "We have a mission on the committee, and that mission is what? To support our veterans, our military, and to grow the economic prosperity of the military here within our state," Chair Richardson said, describing tours the committee has conducted of local installations.

The resolution asks federal Air Force leadership to consider Rickenbacker as a host site for KC‑46 aircraft as the service phases out older KC‑135 Stratotankers. "This resolution positions the 121st Air Refueling Wing and Rickenbacker for a high value mission, and it strengthens Ohio's role in national defense," Representative Gambari, joint sponsor of the resolution, told the committee. Gambari described Rickenbacker as a "strategic aerial port" with long runways and facilities suitable for heavy aircraft and cited the unit's recent performance figures, saying the wing flew 126% of its programmed flying hours and has overall wing manning at 109%.

Committee members asked for more detail about local economic and operational impacts. Representative McNally asked about the potential financial or job losses if KC‑135s are retired and no replacement arrives; the vice chair relayed that the unit "isn't concerned" and that the KC‑135 can remain in service for some time, but said the state should signal its openness to receiving KC‑46s. Representative Hall asked about the net change in the number of aircraft with a KC‑46 transition; sponsors said exact numbers were not known and that staff would try to provide them. Representative Thompson asked which other states are competing for KC‑46s; the sponsor said she had heard Tennessee named as a possible competitor.

The committee did not hold a vote on the resolution; the hearing concluded after questions. The committee also approved previous meeting minutes without objection and closed a brief third hearing on House Bill 297 after no one testified. Chair Richardson said the committee will continue site tours and that another trip is tentatively planned for December.

No formal votes or amendments were recorded on HR 243 during the hearing.