Air Force officials will activate the 377th Maintenance Group during a ceremony Wednesday at Kirtland AFB, N.M. The new group will assume the roles and responsibilities of the 798th Munitions Maintenance Group at Minot AFB, N.D., and 498th MUMG at Whiteman AFB, Mo., both of which the Air Force inactivated on Dec. 1. This realignment is part of the Air Force’s initiative to transfer the oversight of its munitions squadrons that support the service’s nuclear mission from Air Force Materiel Command to Air Force Global Strike Command. “This is a significant milestone for the 377th that will continue to enhance the operations of the nuclear enterprise,” said Col. Thomas Ventriglia, who will lead the group. Kirtland’s 898th Munitions Squadron will realign under the 377th MXG. These changes are meant to ensure that the Air Force continues “doing things the best way possible for safe, secure, and effective operations,” said Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz. (SAF/PA report by Vicki Stein)
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.