More than 200 airmen and six B-52 bombers assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing of Minot AFB, N.D., deployed to Andersen AFB, Guam, for a six-month rotation as part of the Air Force’s continuous bomber presence at the Pacific air hub, announced Andersen and Minot officials. The Minot bomber crews and support personnel, who will constitute the 23rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron during their stay, replaced a contingent of airmen and B-52s from the 96th BS at Barksdale AFB, La., that began its rotation at Andersen in October, according to Minot’s April 4 release. They left Minot on March 29, states the release. The United States maintains the bomber presence at Guam to dissuade aggression in the region and assure allies of the US extended deterrent that protects them. The bombers crews have the opportunity to exercise mission profiles that they do not normally get the chance to fly at home station. The Barksdale B-52s participated in joint exercises with the South Korean armed forces during their time on the island. (See also Andersen release.)
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.