The Air Force is establishing a formal training unit for aeromedical evacuation at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, co-located with its School of Aerospace Medicine, said Maj. Gen. Kimberly Siniscalchi, USAF’s assistant surgeon general for medical force development and nursing services. “This FTU will focus on enhancing the knowledge and performance required to operate in our AE aircraft,” she told House lawmakers last week during an oversight hearing. She added, “The new modularized curriculum and the relocation of the FTU will reduce overall training time by 130 days, provide flexibility in completing the training requirements, eliminate redundancies, and save thousands of dollars in travel costs.” She also noted that this initiative would “standardize training” across the Air Force’s active and reserve components, “better preparing our AE community for any operational mission.” Pope Field, N.C., currently hosts an AE schoolhouse. (Siniscalchi’s written testimony)
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.