When USAF created Air Force Global Strike Command earlier this year at Barksdale AFB, La., the new command took over the headquarters building of one of its units-to-be, 8th Air Force, scattering 8th AF staff around Barksdale, but now USAF has received permission to collect the 8th AF folks temporarily into leased space in one building of the new Cyber Innovation Center in Bossier City. The lease arrangement took months to work out, according to the Louisiana Congressional Delegation. In a joint statement, Sen. Mary Landrieu (D) cited the move’s “logistical sense” for 8th AF and “fiscal sense” for Louisiana, which, the Shreveport Times reports, will collect $8.5 million on the one-year lease, with an option for two years. During that time, Barksdale will be renovating a building to serve as permanent headquarters for 8th AF, which transfers to AFGSC in February.
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.