The Air Force’s 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin AFB, Fla., currently is under command of Marine Corps Col. Arthur Tomassetti while Air Force Col. David Hlatky attends a professional military education course. Tomassetti, who was formerly the lead government pilot for the X-35 test team, is the vice commander for the 33rd FW, which serves as the joint service unit slated to train US and international pilots on the F-35 strike fighter. Hlatky called Tomassetti a “superior officer” and said, “The 33rd Wing is a joint organization, so it should be no surprise that the vice commander takes the helm, regardless of service affiliation.” (Eglin report by Ashley Wright)
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.