The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Tinker AFB, Okla., awarded Boeing Aerospace Operations a $52.8 million modification to a previously awarded contract for the avionics modernization program phase II for the VC-25A aircraft, commonly referred to as Air Force One. The modification contract covers the engineering services to manufacturer or procure, install, and test one prototype, according to a March 4 Pentagon announcement. Work is slated for completion by May 2018 and will be performed at Boeing’s Oklahoma City, Okla., facility. The Air Force has obligated $10.3 million of research, development, test, and evaluation funds for the program in Fiscal 2015, states the release.
U.S. Southern Command recently announced its first lethal strike on a suspected narco-trafficking vessel in two months, and the first under a newly formed permanent counter-cartel task force. The U.S. is also reportedly planning to transfer MQ-9 drones to Colombia to bolster its counter-cartel efforts.