Members of the Hawaii Air National Guard’s 154th Wing last month returned home to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam from the Philippines after a week of exchange with Philippine airmen on air defense and command and control issues, according to a wing release. The airmen from the 109th Air Operation Group and the 169th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron traveled to Col. Jesus Villamor Air Base in Pasay City for meetings with their Philippine counterparts from Aug. 19 to Aug. 23, states the Aug. 30 release. The guests and hosts took turns giving briefings and sharing expertise on topics like C2, identification, surveillance, tactics, weapons, and the role of the air operations center. This trip took place under the auspices of the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program. (Manila report by SMSgt. Kristen Stanley) (See also US Eyes Increased Rotational Presence in Philippines.)
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.