An Air Combat Command release has confirmed that Gen. John Corley, ACC commander since October 2007, plans to retire this fall. There’s no word yet when the formal change of command would take place, installing newly confirmed Gen. William Fraser as the new ACC boss. Fraser currently serves as Air Force vice chief of staff. Gen. Howie Chandler, commander of Pacific Air Forces, has been nominated, but not yet confirmed, to replace Fraser as vice chief. (Side note: The Air Force has tapped Maj. Gen. Douglas Owens (confirmed for his second star on May 7) to become PACAF vice commander, but we’ve not heard who may replace Chandler in the top spot.) In the ACC release, Corley said: “After serving the world’s greatest Air Force for 36 years, Alice and I are looking forward to beginning the next chapter of our lives. I am confident future airmen will continue the legacy of history’s most dominant Air Force.”
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.