U
S Air Forces in Europe expects to reactivate 17th Air Force, the air component of the fledgling US Africa Command, on USAF’s anniversary this Sept. 18, says Gen. Roger A. Brady, who has led USAFE since January. AFRICOM is expected to become fully operational Oct. 1. The numbered air force command staff will be working with an air operations center dedicated to Africa-related missions and support of the new command, Brady said in an interview March 18 (see below). The exact location for these entities is in final coordination but has not been announced as details are worked out with the host-nation. Roughly 95 airmen will be needed to staff 17th Air Force headquarters and another 190 to run the AOC, he said. USAFE is reconstituting 17th Air Force while simultaneously making final manpower cuts as part of the Air Force’s overall drawdown, Brady said. The command is losing roughly 3,500 positions. (For more from Brady on USAFE read Expanding While Contracting)
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.