Space Wants New Helos: The acting commander of Air Force Space Command, Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz, in Washington June 14 for a speech, told reporters that AFSPC believes it needs 20 or more new helicopters to replace the 1970s vintage UH-1 Hueys it uses primarily to patrol its far-flung ICBM fields. He said the command’s analysis is on its to the Air Staff for review. The service is already working to replace Air Force Special Operations Command’s combat search and rescue helicopters. A major topic of his remarks concerned the future of the command’s ICBM force.
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.
