Airmen from Yokota AB, Japan, last week participated in a mobile aeromedical staging facility exercise with soldiers from a nearby installation to practice tactical aeromedical evacuation. For the Aug. 28 event, members of the 374th Medical Group, 374th Logistics Readiness Squadron, and 459th Airlift Squadron teamed up with the Army Combat Support Hospital at Sagami Depot, Japan, to respond to a simulated large-scale natural disaster. “Working with our sister branch in a collaborative goal in case of natural disasters within our host nation was beneficial for everyone,” said SSgt. Don Flores, 374th MDG self-aid and buddy care advisor and triage team member. He added, “Three years ago was the last time we set up a MASF exercise and, from here on, it will be [held] annually.” Airmen managed and transported mock critically injured patients to the Army hospital while receiving others mock patients from the hospital requiring aeromedical evacuation, said Yokota officials. (Yokota report by SrA. Andrea Salazar)
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.