The 898th Munitions Squadron at Kirtland AFB, NM, has been recertified for nuclear operations after receiving a “ready” rating in an inspection conducted at the base June 7-11. Air Force Materiel Command decertified the unit back in January after it fell short of performance standards in a nuclear surety inspection in November 2009. JoAnne Rumple, AFMC spokeswoman, said the decertification enabled the squadron to temporarily suspend maintenance activities and complete corrective actions. She said squadron personnel focused during this period on ensuring that documentation, maintenance processes, management, and technical skills complied with the highest standards. The squadron falls under Kirtland’s 498th Nuclear Systems Wing, a component of the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, also located at the desert base.
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.