The Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve leadership late last month championed a new round of Total Force Integration efforts to bring the active duty and reserve components closer together for the good of the service. Air Force Secretary Michael Donley broached the topic of “TFI, Part 2” Feb. 26 at AFA’s Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Fla. On the following day, Lt. Gen. Charles Stenner, Air Force Reserve chief, told symposium attendees that broadening TFI opportunities through the association construct is one of his top priorities. “That needs to be sustained and looked at in all of our future endeavors as well as the new mission sets, whether they be unmanned aerial systems, [intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance], cyber, bomber, nuclear, you name it,” he said. Lt. Gen. Harry Wyatt, Air National Guard director, appearing with Stenner on a panel on Total Force initiatives, said he is excited about TFI, Part 2. “General Stenner and I have made a pledge to one another that, as reserve component brothers, there are some things that we can do together that will help strengthen the United States Air Force as we work with our active duty brothers and sisters,” he said.
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.