The Missouri Air National Guard’s 241st Air Traffic Control Squadron is closing its Airfield Operations Officer training course at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base in St. Joseph. This Air Guard training program for active duty officers who enter air traffic control is no longer needed, said squadron officials. “Overall, I am proud of what we have accomplished with the program,” said Maj. John Howie, 241st ATCS commander. “We produced quality officers for this career field.” In the summer of 2006, the Air Force reformed its training for airfield operations officers, with the Air Guard agreeing to provide the mission qualification training. The two-year program featured one year of training in tower, radar, and airfield management and one year of professional development before reassignment to an active duty Air Force base. (St. Joseph report by SSgt. April Bachler)
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.