The Air Force late Tuesday issued its proposed force structure, realignment, and management actions in support of President Obama’s Fiscal 2011 budget submission. The announcement outlines personnel changes and reassignment of aircraft next fiscal year. The changes involve more than 13,000 active duty, reserve, and civilian positions—some 2,450 active duty, 1,300 Air Force Reserve, 220 Air National Guard, and 9,200 civilian slots. They include contractor-to-civilian conversions (34 percent), joint basing actions (16 percent), Air Force Reserve end strength increase (12 percent), and the boost in intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance manpower (11 percent). “The Air Force continues to support new and emerging missions while making every effort to remedy the stress experienced by critically manned career fields,” said Gen. Norton Schwartz, Chief of Staff. Daily Report will have more coverage on equipment changes. (SAF/PA release) (Fiscal 2011 force structure announcement and briefing charts, caution large file)
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.