The United States and South Korea have agreed to delay until late 2015 the transfer of operational control of military units on the Korean peninsula from the US to South Korea. Previously the two nations had planned the switch in April 2012. President Obama and South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak made the announcement during a joint press briefing June 26 during the G20 summit in Toronto. “This gives us appropriate time to—within the existing security context—to do this right, because this alliance is the lynchpin not only of security for the Republic of Korea and the United States, but also for the Pacific as a whole,” said Obama. South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak said his government asked for the adjustment. American Forces Press Service reported Monday that the two nations will work out the specific details of the transfer during a meeting in July in Seoul. (Obama-Lee transcript)
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.