The Air National Guard’s 163rd Reconnaissance Wing at March ARB, Calif., will soon host a fully accredited maintenance training schoolhouse for the MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle. Under a memorandum of agreement between the ANG and Air Education and Training Command, the field training detachment of the wing’s 163rd Maintenance Group will train active duty, Reserve, and ANG personnel on Predator maintenance operations to augment MQ-1 training activities at Creech AFB, Nev., and help address the high demand for Predator training capability. The training will take place in a new facility on the base that is able to accommodate classes of up to 40 students per shift. The wing transitioned from KC-135 tankers to the Predator in late 2006. (March report by TSgt. Julie Avey)
Boeing received a $2.47 billion Air Force contract Nov. 25 for 15 more KC-46s, bringing to 183 the number of Pegasus tankers on contract to all customers, foreign and domestic. The new contract—for Lot 12 of the initially planned KC-46 buy—is to be completed by 2029.
