The majority of special-mission aircraft that the 1st Special Operations Wing temporarily relocated from Hurlburt Field, Fla., last week due to Tropical Storm Karen are now back home, according to wing spokeswoman A1C Michelle Vickers. The wing’s remaining assets are expected back by the end of the week, she told the Daily Report on Tuesday. On Oct. 3, the 1st SOW began moving some of its AC-130s, CV-22s, MC-130s, and U-28s to Cannon AFB, N.M., and Little Rock AFB, Ark., in advance of Karen’s arrival. Maintainers put the aircraft that remained at Hurlburt in protective hangars, said Vickers. Concern at the time was that Karen would make landfall on the Florida panhandle as a powerful, destructive storm. However, by Sunday, Karen had dissipated and no storm watches or warnings remained in effect.
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.