Members of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing activated the 968th Expeditionary Airborne Air Control Squadron, an E-3 AWACS unit, at the wing’s undisclosed operating location in Southwest Asia. They said the new unit is “the first enduring AWACS squadron” at the base, according to the 380th AEW’s April 2 release. “This squadron was activated to usher in a new era in AWACS,” said Lt. Col. Peter Mykytyn, 968th EAACS commander. “For the first time this unit will have a one-year commander supported by units from Pacific Air Forces and Air Combat Command,” he added. The activation took place on March 25. The squadron traces its lineage to 1943 and the European theater of World War II, states the release. (380th AEW report by SSgt. Timothy Boyer)
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.