Air advisors from the 838th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group at Shindand AB, Afghanistan, experienced a role reversal as they became students of an Afghan airman for a class on aircraft marshaling. Normally taught by US advisors to their replacements or to Afghan maintenance personnel, the Feb. 1 class marked the first time that an Afghan air force maintainer at Shindand instructed US airmen or coalition members. Through a translator, AAF Sgt. Mohammad Dawood explained the importance of aircraft safety zones and positioning and demonstrated basic hand signals used in the marshaling process. The goal of the course was to qualify the newly arrived US airfield management team, said SMSgt. Brian Kruzelnick, 802nd Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron superintendent. The squadron asked the AAF maintenance group if they would allow one of their experienced maintainers to teach the class. (Kabul report by SSgt. Nadine Y. Barclay)
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.