More than 240 airmen and a small group of B-2A stealth bombers from the 393rd Bomb Squadron at Whiteman AFB, Mo., have arrived at Andersen AFB, Guam, for a several-month deployment in a normal rotation of US combat forces to bolster the Western Pacific region as part of the US strategy to help deter aggression there. The Whiteman contingent relieved an expeditionary unit of airmen and B-52H bombers from the 20th BS at Barksdale AFB, La., that arrived on Guam last fall. This Pacific tour marks the second time that B-2s have been paired with F-22 fighters on Guam. The F-22s touched down in January from Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. (Andersen report)
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.