Air Force maintenance personnel have begun refurbishing “Uniform-1,” the instructional, non-operational ICBM launch facility and Minuteman silo at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo. As part of this, a special maintenance team from Hill AFB, Utah, carefully removed the 47,000-pound missile support system that normally cradles the ICBM within the silo. Hoisted from the silo in a three-hour operation utilizing a mobile crane on Dec. 7, these maintainers are sending the MSS to Vandenberg, AFB, Calif., for repairs, refinishing, and new paint. During its absence, members of Warren’s 90th Maintenance Group will undertake corrosion-control activities as well as routine maintenance of the training silo. Uniform-1 provides maintenance and operational training for the missileers of Warren’s 90th Missile Wing. This refurbishment marks the first time that airmen have removed the MSS since its construction. (Warren report by SSgt. Chad Thompson)
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.