Air For
ce Secretary Michael Donley, who has led the Air Force since last June when he became acting Secretary (shedding the “acting” label in October), has made no formal announcement on how long he will be staying on under the incoming Administration of President-elect Barack Obama. Donley’s spokeswoman, Lt. Col. Brenda Campbell, told the Daily Report yesterday that Defense Secretary Robert Gates “did ask” Donley to stay on into the new Administration, which takes over Jan. 20, but “no specific timeline or date has been decided” on if or when he is to leave. Donley, she says, “is willing to serve in his position until he is either replaced or otherwise asked to depart.” Just yesterday, the Virginian-Pilot reported that Navy Secretary Donald Winter will remain in his post until mid-March, unless Obama replaces him sooner. And, Army Secretary Pete Geren is also expected to serve for a while, at least, into the new Administration.
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.