The Air Force has gone since Feb. 17, 2011, without an on-duty ground fatality, said service safety officials on Monday. This span of more than one year is the longest ground-fatality-free stretch in the service’s history, they said. “This wonderful feat is due to the unrelenting commitment by commanders, supervisors, safety professionals, and airmen at all levels to accomplishing the mission safety and effectively,” said Maj. Gen. Greg Feest, Air Force chief of safety. He added, “It’s truly a team effort.” Bill Parson, Air Force chief of ground safety, applauded the commitment to safety, which he said allows “airmen [to] work more confidently and efficiently.” On-duty ground safety accidents can include industrial, occupational, recreational, and traffic-related incidents, according to the Air Force Safety Center. (Kirtland report by Masao Doi)
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.