The Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman a four-year, $39.7 million contract to design, develop, test, and qualify a replacement payload transporter system for the Minuteman III ICBM fleet, announced the company on Nov. 1. The existing payload transporter is nearing the end of its design life, states the company’s release. “The replacement transporter will provide an immediate improvement in security and prevent potential supportability impacts from the aging system currently in use,” said Mark Bishop, Northrop Grumman’s program manager for the payload transporter replacement. The company is the prime contractor for sustaining the Minuteman III fleet, which the Air Force expects to operate out to 2030. (See also Getting to 2030.)
Airmen and Guardians in the Active and Reserve component, as well as civilian employees, in “mission critical and high-risk populations” are now required to receive influenza vaccinations annually to “preserve force readiness,” according to a recent Department of the Air Force memo.