The Air Mobility Command Museum at Dover AFB, Del., on Aug. 7 took delivery of a KC-135E tanker that will join its other 27 aircraft on permanent display. “This is just another part of what we’re supposed to be doing, preserving the history of airlift and air refueling,” said Jim Leech, museum curator. The aircraft was formerly assigned to the New Jersey Air National Guard’s 108th Air Refueling Wing at McGuire Air Force Base. Brig. Gen. Mike Cunniff, commander of the Air Guard wing, piloted the aircraft to Dover. He said this KC-135E is “the very last operational airplane” of its type. The aircraft will have to undergo some maintenance and have all of its fuel and other fluids removed, before being put on display. (Dover report by SSgt. Chad Padgett)
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.