Airmen at Fairchild AFB, Wash., gathered for the groundbreaking of the base’s new combined wing headquarters building that will bring the 92nd Air Refueling Wing and Washington state Air National Guard’s 141st ARW under one roof. “I think the new building will symbolize the future of the Active Duty and Guard airmen working together in close corners, representing and improving Total Force integration,” said Col. Paul Guemmer, 92nd ARW commander, at the May 1 groundbreaking ceremony. “This building will improve our ability to work close hand-in-hand with the 92nd ARW,” said Col. Richard Kelly, 141st ARW commander. Jackson Contractor Group of Missoula, Mont., received the contract to build the $11.2 million building on April 25, said Fairchild officials. The base’s current headquarters facility was built in 1943, they said. (Fairchild report by A1C Earlandez Young)
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.