Gen. Mike Hostage, Air Combat Command boss, completed his F-22 pilot qualification, reinforcing his personal stake in the Air Force’s efforts to identify the reasons why some Raptor pilots have experienced dizziness and disorientation in flight, announced ACC officials. “I’m asking these airmen to assume some risk that exceeds the norm in day-to-day training, and I have to be willing to do it myself and experience firsthand what they do,” stated Hostage in ACC’s July 5 release. He added, “Flying the airplane allows me to understand exactly what our airmen are dealing with.” Hostage completed the qualification training with the 325th Fighter Wing at Tyndall AFB, Fla., home of the F-22 schoolhouse, on June 27. Air Force officials are still working to determine the root cause of these physiological incidents. Recently, ACC directed Raptor pilots to remove the upper pressure garment of their aircrew flight equipment during routine flight operations after testing revealed that it may restrict the pilot’s breathing in some instances, according to the release. (Langley-Eustis report by Justin Oakes)
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.