Air Force Special Operations Command activated the 24th Special Operations Wing in a ceremony at Hurlburt Field, Fla., June 12. The new wing, AFSOC’s third, is meant to help the command meet the growing demand for the unique capabilities that special tactics air commandos provide, according to the command’s release. It joins the 1st SOW at Hurlburt and the 27th SOW at Cannon AFB, N.M., under AFSOC’s umbrella. The 24th SOW “allows a single commander to lead the recruiting, training, and development of our special tactics warriors, and ultimately provide combatant commanders with world-class airmen to accomplish their mission,” said AFSOC Commander Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel at the activation ceremony. Resident in the wing will be expertise in airfield reconnaissance, assessment, and control. Its air commandos also will engage in joint terminal attack control, personnel recovery, weather, and environmental reconnaissance, states the release. The special tactics career field is among the most decorated Air Force career field and also one of the most dangerous. (Hurlburt report by Rachel Arroyo)
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.