For the first time since the Kosovo crisis, McGuire AFB, N.J., is the first stopping point on US soil for Americans evacuees—the latest crop from Lebanon via Cyprus and Ramstein AB, Germany. According to the Newark Star-Ledger, more than 1,000 evacuees from across the US are expected at McGuire by Tuesday. Air Force officials report that they enlisted C-17s from Charleston AFB, S.C. and McChord AFB, Wash., as well as McGuire to ferry Americans from Ramstein. “The good thing about this is once the places get cycling, we can just keep them going indefinitely,” Col. Bill Spacy, vice commander of the 305th Air Mobility Wing at McGuire told the Star-Ledger.
Boeing’s receipt of the 10th lot contract award for the KC-46 Pegasus this week leaves just three lots left to complete the Air Force’s buy of the tanker, although a further buy of 75 additional aircraft as a “bridge” to the Next-Generation Aerial-refueling System (NGAS) seems increasingly likely.