The Air Force and Lockheed Martin have signed an agreement to convert the current J model multi-year, commercial item contract to a traditional military procurement contract. The service had purchased 23 aircraft under the previous contract and plans to buy 39 more over the next three years under the new deal. USAF gets to review pricing on the first 23 and recoup any overpayment once it settles on a “final definitized price.” Air Force officials say the final price will not be more than previously paid, which they said was $66.5 million per aircraft.
Three B-1B Lancers from the 7th Bomb Wing flew over the Indo-Pacific alongside F-16s from the Japanese Air Self Defense Force recently, as part of a joint large force exercise. The mission began and ended in the continental U.S., as the bombers flew 31 hours and landed Jan. 11.