The Senate has confirmed Adm. William Fallon to become the new head of US Central Command but is still working on the nomination of Gen. George Casey Jr. as the next Army Chief of Staff. Fallon got unanimous support from the Senate Armed Services Committee, while Casey’s nomination mustered three dissenters, notably Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who has criticized Casey’s handling of the war in Iraq. The full Senate is slated to again consider Casey Thursday, following floor debate.
The Air Force and Boeing agreed to a nearly $2.4 billion contract for a new lot of KC-46 aerial tankers on Nov. 21. The deal, announced by the Pentagon, is for 15 new aircraft in Lot 11 at a cost of $2.389 billion—some $159 million per tail.