Airmen with the 90th Missile Wing at F. E. Warren AFB, Wyo., claimed best missile wing honors and clinched the Global Strike Challenge’ Blanchard Trophy for the second year running. B-1s from Air Combat Command’s 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth AFB, S.D., seized top bomb wing in the closing award ceremony held at Barksdale AFB, La., Nov. 9. “We came, we saw, we conquered,” said Col. Christopher Coffelt, 90th MW commander. Col. Mark Weatherington, 28th BW commander, noted that his wing had claimed the Fairchild trophy for the first time since 1989 when the 28th BW was crowned Strategic Air Command’s most outstanding bomber unit. He said the victory was “the result of the consistent training and dedication of Ellsworth Airmen in operations, maintenance, and mission support.” Nearly 400 airmen from AFGCS, ACC, and Air Force Reserve Command competed in this year’s competition, which was hosted by AFGSC for the second year. (Barksdale release)
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.