The Washington Air National Guard’s 141st Air Refueling Wing formally has entered classic associate status with the active duty 92nd ARW at Fairchild AFB, Wash. SSgt. Connie Bias reports that it is the first such association for ANG and Air Mobility Command wings. The aircraft owned by the 92nd ARW will carry patches for both the 92nd and 141st, which gave up its own KC-135 tankers to BRAC 2005. Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire also has just reached an agreement with USAF that will ensure her state has access to tanker aircraft.
Lockheed Martin projects more than a billion dollars of losses on a classified program, but company officials said April 23 they are confident it will turn profitable by 2028 and become a "franchise" system in the U.S. military.