The 76th Maintenance Wing at Tinker AFB, Okla., completed depot maintenance on 55 KC-135 tankers in Fiscal 2010—a significant improvement over the 46 it serviced in Fiscal 2009. “This is an Eisenhower-era airplane, so it’s 50-plus years old and operates in all sorts of environments worldwide, and yet we’re maintaining it and reducing the number of days in which we maintain the airplane,” said Col. Doug Cato, commander of the 76th Aircraft Maintenance Group in Tinker’s Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center. Of the 55 aircraft, the wing delivered 33 early. The wing worked on improving its processes and reducing flow days after making a promise to the Air Force Secretary to deliver 54 aircraft in Fiscal 2010 en route to being able to complete 64 in Fiscal 2012. It has typically completed 46 to 48 KC-135s annually. (Tinker report by Ralph Monson)
Competitors Not Picked for CCA Look Forward to Increment 2
April 25, 2024
While none of the major aircraft contractors were selected to develop the Collaborative Combat Aircraft, all three say they are seeking further autonomous aircraft work for the Navy, foreign partners, or in the classified arena, and maybe future versions of the CCA itself.