Henceforth, the 505th Operations Group and 505th Operations Squadron at Nellis AFB, Nev. are designated the 505th Test and Evaluation Group and 505th Test Squadron, respectively. Rebranded last week during a Nellis ceremony, the 505th TEG and its subordinate squadron will now focus on testing and integrating operational air, space, and cyber command and control domains. “These changes align the group and squadron with a revised mission focus, creating a persistent infrastructure to address integration seams,” said Col. Edward McKinzie, commander of the units’ parent 505th Command and Control Wing at Hurlburt Field, Fla. The group will also continue to serve as Air Combat Command’s operational test organization for operational-level C2 of theater air control and ISR systems and be responsible for evaluating and improving USAF air defense radar networks. (Nellis report by Bill Dowell)
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.