Officials at JB Elmendorf, Alaska, have released the names of the four airmen who died in Wednesday’s C-17 crash near the base (see coverage below). They are: Maj. Michael Freyholtz, pilot with the Alaska Air National Guard’s 249th Airlift Squadron, Maj. Aaron Malone, 249th AS pilot, Capt. Jeffrey Hill, pilot with the active duty 517th AS, and MSgt. Thomas Cicardo, 249th AS loadmaster. “We come to work with immense sorrow after four of our fellow airmen lost their lives in the C-17 crash,” said Brig. Gen. Charles Foster, commander of the Alaska ANG’s 176th Wing. He added, “They were more than valued airmen: They were our teammates, friends, family members, and fellow Alaskans.” Col. John McMullen, commander of Elmendorf’s 3rd Wing, said of these airmen “selflessly served their country and will be sorely missed by our entire Arctic Warrior family.” (Elmendorf release)
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.