Airmen deployed to the 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron at Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, in March bettered earlier records the unit had set for passengers moved and jet fuel issued. In March, the unit shepherded some 50,000 multi-national, US, and coalition troops, far surpassing the November 2009 record of 36,000. Also in March, unit airmen issued 12,500,102 gallons of jet fuel, reported as a new high, during which two airmen—A1C Dustin Hammond and A1C Destin Noak—each pumped one million gallons. SMSgt. Will Schwartz, aerial port flight superintendent, explained that making the million-gallon club requires more effort than in most locations, since they “had to take more than 200 truck runs instead of the 25-50 runs it would take in a [hydrant servicing vehicle/hydrant pantographs.]” He said the HSV/pantograph pumps 40,000 gallons at a time, compared to the 5,000 gallons issued by fuel trucks. (Manas report by SSgt. Carolyn Viss)
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.