Norwegian defense chief Army Gen. Harald Sunde last week reviewed the Air Force’s nuclear deterrent arsenal on a visit to the 5th Bomb Wing and 91st Missile Wing at Minot AFB, N.D. “This visit is intended to give General Sunde a greater understanding of strategic deterrence so that he can better communicate the importance of deterrence to multiple audiences back in Norway,” said Minot spokesman Lt. Jose Davis, reported the Minot Daily News on Aug, 17. Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey invited Sunde to tour Minot specifically because it is the only base in the Air Force to house both B-52H nuclear-capable bombers and Minuteman III ICBMs, according to the report. Sunde engaged with base leaders and visited Minot flight and missile field operations on Aug. 15.
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.