BANGOR (AP) – The Maine Air National Guard’s 101st Air Refueling Wing took delivery Wednesday of its first tanker with upgraded jet engines.

The KC-135R, which arrived from New Hampshire’s Pease Air National Guard base, was the first of 10 of the aircraft that will be based in Bangor, said Maj. Debbie Kelley, community manager for the 101st Air Refueling Wing.

For the Guard, the KC-135R’s engine is stronger, more fuel efficient and easier to maintain than the KC-135E model that’s being phased out. And area residents will probably like the fact that the KC-135R is much quieter.

On Wednesday, one of the current KC-135E tankers took off for a mission while the KC-135R was practicing landing approaches before touching down.

The KC-135R was noticeably quieter. “It was striking,” Kelley said.

Bangor, which currently has eight active KC-135E tankers, is responsible for scheduling all refueling flights for the Northeast Tanker Task Force Trans-Atlantic Air Bridge, which refuels planes coming and going to Europe and the Middle East.

The upgraded aircraft are being sent to Bangor under a 2005 decision by the Base Closure and Realignment Commission.