Nearly 3,000 service members from more than 25 countries are at Air Mobility Rodeo 2011 at JB Lewis-McChord, Wash. The biennial competition brings together mobility professionals to showcase their skills in events like airdrops and aerial refueling. Airmen from Belgium, the Netherlands, Pakistan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, and Sweden are participating this year, while representatives from more than 20 other countries are observing the event, which kicked off on July 24 and runs through July 29. Among the observing nations are first-timers Algeria, Botswana, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and South Africa. The five African nations are looking to improve their airdrop capability. “More specifically, their attendance also helps them understand more about humanitarian airdrops in support to the African Union,” said Lt. Col. David Mackenzie, deputy director of plans and requirements for 17th Air Force (Air Forces Africa) at Ramstein AB, Germany. McChord’s 62nd Air Mobility Wing won the last rodeo in 2009. (Lewis-McChord report by MSgt. Scott T. Sturkol and second joint base report by SSgt. J.G. Buzanowski)
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.