Air 
Force Research Lab officials earlier this month cut the ribbon on the new state-of-the-art Advanced Power and Thermal Research Lab on the grounds of Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. APTRL is a 53,000-square-foot, three-story building that will be devoted to power and thermal research to support the Air Force’s growing demands for increased aircraft power and efficiency, according to an AFRL release. The ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on Dec. 7, Wright-Patt spokesman Bill Hancock confirmed to the Daily Report on Dec. 17. “With the establishment of the Advanced Power and Thermal Research Lab, we hope to forge a new direction for aircraft technologies,” said Doug Bowers, AFRL’s aerospace systems director. APTRL was born from the complete refurbishment of the 1934-vintage Static Test Laboratory that formerly hosted structural and mechanical testing, but had gone largely unused for many years, according to the release. “It’s very rewarding to see an historic building come back to life in the way this one has,” said Bowers. (Wright-Patterson report by Holly Jordan)
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.