Officials at Ellsworth AFB, S.D., have activated Det. 1 of the 28th Operations Group. The new detachment will help coordinate the ramp up to activating an MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft squadron at the base next year. “The base itself will undergo changes to facilitate a smooth transition as the new detachment paves the way for the incoming RPA squadron,” said Col. Jeffrey Taliaferro, 28th Bomb Wing commander. He added, “We are on track with the critical events and activities that need to be completed before the squadron flies its first combat air patrol next year.” The Air Force last June announced its decision to bring an MQ-9 unit to Ellsworth. The base expects to add 280 civilian and military personnel to operate Reapers supporting contingency operations overseas. The new squadron is slated to begin operations in May 2012. (Ellsworth release)
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…