The Air Force has awarded MSgt. David Barber and MSgt. Robert Rose Bronze Star Medals for their service while deployed to Kirkuk AB, Iraq. The two airmen deployed from the 78th Security Forces Squadron at Robins AFB, Ga. Barber led airmen, soldiers, and Iraqi police on 131 missions, uncovering more than 3,000 pounds of weapons in five caches, capturing 10 insurgents, and stopping the threats posed by another 90 insurgents. Rose led a counter-threat unit with four tactical security teams and one site exploitation team on 135 missions, identifying some 1,600 insurgents. Rose also led his unit through an improvised explosive device attack to capture an al Qaeda cell leader. (Robins report by Wayne Crenshaw)
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.