The first five F-22 Raptors transferring from Holloman AFB, N.M., arrived at their new home at Tyndall AFB, Fla., last week, according to a Feb. 12 Air Force release. The fighters are now assigned to Tyndall’s 95th Fighter Squadron, which will operate and maintain them together with Air Force Reserve Command’s 301st Fighter Squadron under an association. The squadrons are part of the 325th Fighter Wing and 301st FW, respectively. “We look forward to the transition to Tyndall and partnering with the 325th Fighter Wing to deliver the world’s greatest air superiority airmen to combatant commanders,” said Col. John Breazeale, 301st FW commander. The last of the 24 F-22s is slated to arrive at Tyndall by April and the combined Active Duty-Reserve force is expected to be “combat-ready” a few months later, states the 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.