Hundreds of airmen from the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron deployed from Barksdale AFB, La., arrived at Andersen AFB, Guam, recently in support of US Pacific Command’s continuous bomber presence. The 20th EBS, replaced the 96th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, which returned home from its four-month tour earlier this month. “We have already participated in one training exercise and there are at least 10 more we have identified over the next several months,” said Lt. Col. Michael Miller, 20th EBS commander, in a release. “We will also have the unique opportunity to participate in exercises with our allies from Korea, Japan, and Australia, an experience not available to us during our time in the United States.” Pacific Air Forces has routinely deployed B-1, B-2, and B-52 bomber aircraft to Guam on a rotational basis since 2003.
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.