SrA. Daniel Johnson was killed in action Tuesday during an explosive ordnance disposal operation in an area west of Kandahar, Afghanistan, the Air Force has announced. The 23-year-old airman was assigned to the 30th Civil Engineer Squadron’s EOD flight at Vandenberg AFB, Calif. Johnson died when an improvised explosive device detonated near him. He was transported to a hospital at Kandahar Airfield and was pronounced dead soon thereafter. TSgt. Robert Butler, another EOD specialist from Vandenberg who was working with Johnson, was injured in the blast. “Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of Airman Johnson and Sergeant Butler during this extremely difficult time,” said Col. Richard Boltz, commander of Vandenberg’s 30th Space Wing.
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.