The Air Force has decided to move Maj. Gen. William Holland from his No. 2 slot at 9th Air Force/Air Forces Central to lead the now temporarily separate 9th Air Force. In May, USAF announced plans to temporarily split 9th AF from AFCENT, sending a few folks forward to establish an AFCENT headquarters closer to the action and removed from the day-to-day management chores of running a number air force. Lt. Gen. Gary North, who has led 9th AF/AFCENT since February 2006, has been nominated now to lead Pacific Air Forces. The Senate has confirmed Maj. Gen. Gilmary Hostage III for a third star and to replace North as AFCENT commander.
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.