Airmen from the Pennsylvania Air National Guard’s 171st Air Refueling Wing in Pittsburgh are fueling the war on terror fight from their home station and from Incirlik AB, Turkey. The unit has been flying out of Pittsburgh to provide aerial refueling for C-17s as they head overseas since 2003, reports TSgt. Brian Jones. Now, a contingent of 171st airmen deployed to Incirlik are picking up some of the same aircraft to refuel them on the next leg of their journey. “We’re working both sides of the Atlantic,” said Lt. Col. Don Accamando, deployed mission support commander.
The Air Force and Boeing agreed to a nearly $2.4 billion contract for a new lot of KC-46 aerial tankers on Nov. 21. The deal, announced by the Pentagon, is for 15 new aircraft in Lot 11 at a cost of $2.389 billion—some $159 million per tail.