Officials at Tyndall AFB, Fla., last week inactivated the 95th Fighter Squadron, marking the formal end of F-15 training at the base after 27 years. Tyndall’s parent 325th Fighter Wing lost its 48 F-15s as part of the Air Force’s divestiture of approximately 250 legacy fighters in Fiscal 2010. Tyndall’s F-15s began departing for good in April. Herman Bell, 325th FW public affairs chief, told the Daily Report that the 95th FS inactivation took place Sept 21. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the squadron’s three remaining F-15s took off for their new home at Edwards AFB, Calif., where NASA will use them as test assets, he said. With the drawdown at Tyndall, the Oregon Air National Guard’s 173rd Fighter Wing at Kingsley Field is assuming the F-15 training mission. (See also Tyndall report by Christi Bird)
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.