A senior defense official told lawmakers last week that the Nuclear Posture Review, initially due out with the Administration’s 2011 budget, had been delayed simply because it “is more comprehensive and complex than the prior two,” characterizing the first two post-Cold War reviews as “internal DOD planning activity.” However, Bradley Roberts, deputy assistant secretary of defense for nuclear and missile defense policy, told the Senate Armed Services strategic forces panel March 17, that, absent the report itself, the budget proposal “reflects the results of the NPR and we don’t expect subsequent changes.” (See Triad Remains) The results are in, but Bradley said that the leadership had to “work its way through the issues to the point where it’s satisfied with the result.” He concluded, “We think we’re just about at that point right now.”
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.