Rolls-Royce opened its first around-the-clock support center in the United States to provide its US defense customers with quick technical assistance, announced the company on Oct. 9. The $2 million operations center is located in the company’s new Rolls-Royce Meridian Center in Indianapolis. It will host a team of 50 technical and engineering experts that can provide support in areas ranging from fleet engine data to hardware inspections, states the company’s release. “Our military customers in the field need a fast, effective response they can rely on when issues arise,” said Rolls-Royce President for Defense Services Paul Craig. He added, “Our new Defense Operations Center demonstrates that we are focused on our customers’ needs and providing the level of expert service they require and expect.”
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.