US and Singaporean government officials on Nov 19 celebrated the inauguration of the combined F-15SG fighter detachment at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, under the bilateral Peace Carvin V initiative. Under it, Mountain Home’s 366th Fighter Wing is hosting the 428th Fighter Squadron, a unit that will train Singapore Air Force airmen to operate their new fleet of F-15SGs. The squadron will have 12 F-15SGs and function with USAF and Singaporean airmen working side-by-side. “While our relationship with the Republic of Singapore and its air force has been strong in the past, I know the partnership here will bring us even closer together,” said Air Force Secretary Michael Donley, who was at the ceremony, along with Teo Chee Hean, Singaporean minister for defence. PC V builds upon the previous four PC partnerships for F-16s and military helicopters between the two nations. (Mountain Home report by SSgt. Jasmine Reif)
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.