Air Force KC-135 tankers from RAF Mildenhall, Britain, recently joined C-17s of the multinational Heavy Airlift Wing stationed at Pápa AB, Hungary, in the skies over Germany for the rare opportunity for both to hone vital skills. Boom operators of the 100th Air Refueling Wing’s KC-135s normally service fighter aircraft, but seldom have occasion to refuel large receiver aircraft, such as the C-17, which pose unique air refueling challenges. But under the new “mutually beneficial arrangement” with the HAW, they will get this training. The HAW aircrews, in turn, will be able to fulfill their requirements for receiver training in Europe rather than having to travel to the United States for it. The HAW is “committed to training to the same standard” as the US Air Force and maintain the skills needed “to employ all aspects of C-17 capabilities,” said USAF Col. John Zazworsky, HAW commander. (Mildenhall report by SrA. Tabitha M. Lee)
After the first tranches of its ambitious low-Earth orbit constellation faced production and supply chain issues that delays launches, the Space Development Agency is trying something new for its next round of satellite procurement. The agency awarded a $55 million contract to SAIC on April 22 for “system engineering and integration…