Air Mobility Command has started a new course at Travis AFB, Calif., which should produce more airmen able to perform basic maintenance on the service’s KC-10 aerial refueling aircraft operating in the Pacific region. The first six airmen—from Hickam AFB, Hawaii, and Kadena AB, Japan—began the 30-day course last week at Travis. After they graduate, they will be the first in-theater maintainers trained to recover the aircraft and handle 79 routine maintenance tasks. Previously, KC-10 flying crew chiefs had to handle all such work and that meant lost man-hours and scheduling inefficiency.
Officials at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla., said the range is “fully mission capable” to support launches following a major May 28 mishap involving Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket.