The Air Force will hold not one, but two undergraduate flying training boards in Fiscal 2011, service officials announced Monday. The additional board will be held in July at Randolph AFB, Tex., they said. It will help to balance the active duty junior and mid-grade officer force to meet burgeoning demands in areas like operating remotely piloted aircraft. “Although the Air Force currently has more officers serving than it is authorized, shortages exist in certain critical skills to include some rated specialties,” said Maj. Eric Weber, chief of rated force policy for mobility forces. He added, “We are seeking the best and the brightest to strategically re-balance the officer corps and meet rated growth requirements.” Flying-class physicals and aptitude testing will be required for application as with previous boards, but officials are easing up on some criteria like age restrictions. (SAF/PA report by Lt. Col. Ann Stefanek)
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.