Capt. Greg Jones and A1C Ian Hughes, both assigned to the 37th Airlift Squadron, Ramstein AB, Germany, received Air Medals for their combat service in Southwest Asia. Jones piloted a C-130E on 20 missions, transporting critical cargo, distinguished visitors, and coalition and Iraqi forces. Hughes served as loadmaster on a C-130E, delivering 85 tons and 923 personnel in less than two months, during which he also served as the aircraft’s eyes searching out potential attackers on the ground. Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne presented the medals.
The Air Force awarded a $13.08 billion contract to the Sierra Nevada Corporation on April 26 for its Survivable Airborne Operations Center aircraft, the successor to the service’s E-4B “Doomsday” plane. Like the E-4B, officially called the National Airborne Operations Center, the SAOC will be meant to withstand a nuclear attack and keep…