![Tanker 910, a DC-10, at Rapid City, April 23, 2013. Photo by Bill Gabbert Tanker 910, a DC-10](https://wildfiretoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Tanker-910-RAP-068_69_70_tonemapped11.jpg)
After 548 days, the U.S. Forest Service is going to issue exclusive use five-year contracts for three next-generation air tankers, in spite of the protest filed by Neptune Aviation, a company that was passed over in the contract awards. Three companies were notified Thursday by USFS contracting officers that the contracts are being actually awarded — Minden, 10 Tanker Air Carrier, and Coulson.
More details are at Fire Aviation.