US Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa officials activated the 764th Specialized Contracting Squadron at Ramstein AB, Germany, according to a base release. “Today, the 764th is the first specialized contracting squadron to officially stand up,” said Col. Mario Troncoso, Air Force Installation Contracting Agency director, who presided over the Oct. 2 ceremony. The squadron’s mission is “to provide acquisition support to all of USAFE-AFAFRICA for purchases worth more than $2 million or any amount that supports multiple locations,” states the Oct. 2 release. The squadron took over the functions previously executed by the 700th Contracting Squadron’s specialized contracting flight. Under an Air Force-wide realignment, specialized contracting flights are transitioning to squadrons and will fall under AFICA, states the release. The agency is headquartered at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. (Ramstein report by SSgt. Ryan Crane)
Pentagon officials overseeing homeland counter-drone strategy told lawmakers that even with preliminary moves to bolster U.S. base defenses, the military still lacks the capability to comprehensively identify, track, and engage hostile drones like those that breached the airspace of Langley Air Force Base in Virginia for 17 days in December…