The two airmen killed in a Nov. 21 T-38 mishap at Vance AFB, Okla., have been identified as Lt. Col. John “Matt” Kincade, 47, and 2nd Lt. Travis B. Wilkie. Kincade was an instructor pilot assigned to the 5th Flying Training Squadron at Vance, and was named the top instructor pilot in the 340th Flying Training Group in August. He is survived by his wife and two sons. Wilkie was assigned to the 71st Student Squadron, and is survived by his wife, parents, and sister.

Air Force officials have settled on the three programs they want to adopt as the service’s first “vanguards”: the Skyborg wingman drone, a weapon swarming project, and an experimental satellite effort, Air Force Materiel Command boss Gen. Arnold Bunch said Nov. 21. “We believe they’re going to be game changers,” he told reporters at a Defense Writers Group breakfast. “We believe they can dramatically change the way that we fight and the way that we employ airpower.” Vanguards will pull resources from across the research and development spectrum to speed up prototyping and experimentation.

USAF Gen. John Hyten on Nov. 21 officially became the 11th vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during a swearing in ceremony at the Pentagon. Hyten previously was the commander of US Strategic Command, and handed over that position to Navy Adm. Charles Richard during a Nov. 18 ceremony at Offutt AFB, Neb. Hyten takes over the position vacated by now-retired USAF Gen. Paul Selva. He was first nominated for the vice chairman position in April, and faced a tumultuous confirmation process after an accusation of sexual assault emerged, following an Air Force investigation that cleared him. The Senate confirmed Hyten on Sept. 26 by a vote of 75-22. Hyten, with an extensive background in space and nuclear operations, is expected to be a key leader in the stand up of US Space Command and in the possible creation of the new Space Force.

AT&T will start bringing fifth-generation wireless networking to Tyndall AFB, Fla., in early 2020, the company said in a Nov. 21 release. “AT&T is comprehensively rebuilding and modernizing communications infrastructure and capabilities across Tyndall,” the company said. “It is providing future-forward networking capabilities … to support augmented and virtual reality, [the Internet of Things], and a broad array of innovative technologies.” The company is working under a $23.6 million, sole-source contract awarded Sept. 30, according to a spokesman. It will progress through a “rolling plan” based on how quickly the Air Force and other vendors are able to rebuild the base that was destroyed by Category 5 Hurricane Michael in 2018.

The KC-46 has successfully completed testing of the aircraft’s wing refueling pods—a key capability of the new tanker. During the tests at Edwards AFB, Calif., the KC-46 test program used the Wing Aerial Refueling Pods to refuel an AV-8B, F-18D, and F-18G, according to a Nov. 21 Edwards release. Now that the test period has concluded, engineers are reviewing data before the pod systems can be certified by the Aerial Refueling Certification Agency. The KC-46 program faces a long road ahead in testing, with continued problems addressing multiple “category one” deficiencies.

A JB Charleston, S.C., C-17 crew recently received an award for how it handled an in-flight emergency, including a fire that caused extensive damage to the aircraft, while transporting a Coast Guard helicopter in Central and South America. The crew of REACH 111 on Nov. 19 was awarded the 2019 Raincross Trophy, recognizing the best in 4th Air Force, for the June mission. During the flight, the C-17 was forced to return to base as a fire spread through the wing and pylons of the aircraft.

Pratt & Whitney received a $762.5 million modification to a previously awarded fixed-price incentive fee contract for F-35 fighter engines on Nov. 22. The modification funds 48 F135-100 engines for Air Force F-35A aircraft, and 10 F135-600 engines for Marine Corps F-35B aircraft. The Air Force work is worth $521.5 million and the Marine powerplants represent $241 million of the award; together they fund US engines in the F-35 Lot 14 production. All the funds are obligated immediately and none expire at the end of the fiscal year. About 85 percent of the work will be done at Pratt’s East Hartford, Conn., facilities, with the rest at its Indianapolis, Ind. plant (11.8 percent) and Bristol, UK (2.9 percent). The work is to be completed in April 2022.