The F-16 pilots of the 23rd Fighter Squadron, Spangdahlem AB, Germany, will be wrapping up their NATO deployment to secure the airspace over Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia in December. (DR, 10/13/05) During their 90-day tour, the 23rd’s aircraft and aircrews stood 24-hour alerts, patrolling more than 97,000 miles of airspace and keeping track of airborne threats. For the squadron’s maintainers that meant changing standard procedures. “A lot of the pins and covers we would normally keep in place until moments before takeoff are already removed,” said MSgt. Tracy Hath, a maintenance supervisor from Spangdahlem. “It forces our alert crew chiefs to be on their toes.”
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.
