The Air Force has agreed to move F-22 program engineers and procurement officials to the Ogden Air Logistics Center at Hill AFB, Utah, according to a joint release from three Republican members of the state’s Congressional delegation: Sen. Orrin Hatch, Sen. Mike Lee, and Rep. Rob Bishop. “I am pleased that the Air Force has committed to adhere to long-standing Air Force policy by co-locating the F-22 program office with the [F-22] maintenance functions at Hill,” said Bishop in Tuesday’s release. Initially the Air Force planned to make this move, then mulled not doing it, causing the lawmakers to write the USAF leadership in May, arguing against any change of plans. “I appreciate [that] the Air Force understands the concerns I, and others, had, and has agreed to stick with the original plan to bring these jobs to Utah,” stated Hatch. “It is more efficient, better for the Utah economy, and will produce greater savings for the military in the long term,” wrote Lee.
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.