The Air National Guard has no bombers in its stock of aircraft, but it does now have a B-2 bomber pilot, Missouri Air Guardsman Maj. David Thompson, who has been tasked to help ANG’s 131st Fighter Wing at St. Louis make the BRAC 2005-induced transition to bomber wing, as a classic associate unit with the active 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman AFB, Mo. Capt. Bridget Zorn reports that, while on active duty, Thompson flew F-15s and B-2s, serving as a B-2 instructor pilot, but he last flew the B-2 in 2004. First, though he had to help the 131st FW work up a B-2 transition plan. Lt. Col. Ken Eaves, the 131st FW lead for the effort, said: “This has never been done before. There is no template for what we’re doing.” The plan came together this summer, enabling Thompson to take a B-2 re-qualification course, which he completed last week.
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.
