The Air Force’s Thunderbirds air demonstration squadron on Wednesday announced its airshow schedule for 2010, its 57th season of performances. The first of 65 planned shows will kick off March 20-21 at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. In mid-June and mid-August, the team will perform in Quebec City and Abbotsford, Canada, respectively—the only appearances on the agenda next year outside of the US. The 2010 season will conclude with performances Nov. 13-14 at Nellis AFB, Nev., the unit’s home. The Thunderbirds concluded their 2009 schedule, which included a six-week tour of the Pacific Far East, in November.
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.