Air Forces Northern officials at Tyndall AFB, Fla., have provided the Civil Air Patrol with new portable communications equipment to help members of the volunteer USAF auxiliary in their domestic search and rescue operations, counterdrug activities, and training. Last week, five Geospatial Information Interoperability Exploitation Portable, or GIIEP, kits arrived at CAP national headquarters at Maxwell AFB, Ala. These kits feature self-contained communications equipment and other hardware that allow for real-time and near-real-time full-motion video, digital imagery, and in-flight chat capability with federal, state, and local emergency operations centers. “This equipment enhances CAP’s ability to perform its important missions,” said Brig. Gen. Charles Carr, CAP national vice commander. Each GIIEP kit fits into two small cases, making it easily transportable. (Tyndall report by Angela Pope)
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.