Local government officials in Cascade County, Mont., which encompasses Great Falls and Malmstrom Air Force Base, have launched a land-use study of the areas around the base, which is today home to a major ICBM force. The Great Falls Tribune reported Tuesday that the Matrix Design Group, a Phoenix-based company, will lead the year-long effort to explore existing and potential development around Malmstrom’s missile facilities in the north central part of the state and potential conflicts such as wind farms and cell-phone towers. The goal is to identify guidelines to limit encroachment on Air Force operations while encouraging well-planned growth in the area, according to the newspaper. Last year, Cascade County received a grant for this study from the Pentagon’s office of economic adjustment that assists communities dealing with issued like base closures, realignments, or expansions.
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.