The two Illinois Senators—Democrats Dick Durbin and Barack Obama—have written to the Air Force complaining about its recent Total Force Integration decision that would not put a new flying mission with the Air National Guard’s 183rd Fighter Wing at Springfield. (At last word, there was still an ongoing legal challenge to stripping the 183rd of its F-16s, even as state officials attempt to secure a new mission.) Durbin and Obama say that the Air Force’s new TFI proposal “impairs” the Illinois Air Guard, eliminating “an important component of the Illinois Homeland Security toolkit.” They note that the action will strip 200 airmen of their jobs. The Air Force does propose to put an air operations center at Springfield, but the duo also want to retain a fighter mission or gain a new flying mission.
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.