A package of five F-22s and 130 airmen from the 90th Fighter Squadron at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, arrived at Andersen AFB, Guam, on July 20 for two-weeks of training with other USAF assets currently stationed on the island. A maintenance issue with one F-22 prevented the unit from deploying six aircraft as originally planned, an Air Force spokesman confirmed to the Daily Report. The F-22s will fly with F-15s deployed from Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, and B-52s from Barksdale AFB, La., to showcase composite force tactics. This is the first time that Pacific Air Forces-assigned Raptors are deployed in the Pacific theater. One of the B-52s that was set to participate in these activities crashed during a training flight off the northwest coast of the island on July 21, killing the six airmen on board. (Includes Andersen report by SSgt. Steve Teel)
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.