Safety remains at the forefront of reintegrating F-15s into the daily operations defending North American airspace, says Maj. Gen. Hank Morrow, head of 1st Air Force and the Continental US NORAD Region. “The critical step,” he says, will be “the initial cadre” of F-15 pilots who regain their landing currency and will then manage the “re-currency” for the rest of their units. “Landing currency will get us back in the air, but restoring the other demanding currencies requires particular attention, judgment, and hands-on risk management,” he says. “Oversight and certification of this program as it relates to [Air National Guard] units remains with the wing’s leadership and instructor pilots.”
Boeing received a $2.47 billion Air Force contract Nov. 25 for 15 more KC-46s, bringing to 183 the number of Pegasus tankers on contract to all customers, foreign and domestic. The new contract—for Lot 12 of the initially planned KC-46 buy—is to be completed by 2029.
