The Air Force awarded Cessna Aircraft a $88.5 million contract to provide 32 light lift aircraft to the Afghan air force under the Afghanistan Basic Trainer/Lift Family program. With this foreign military sale, Cessna will deliver six T-182Ts and 26 C-208Bs, which are based on the company’s 182 Skylane and 208 Caravan civil models, respectively. These airplanes will support AAF counterinsurgency operations. USAF is also considering procurement of an additional 15 Cessna aircraft to support the training of its air advisors at JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., and is holding open the possibility of buying a further 24 aircraft at some later point, reports Flightglobal. (See also DOD’s May 26 list of major contracts.)
When acting Air Force Secretary Gary A. Ashworth rescinded service-wide “Family Days” last week citing the need to build readiness, he left it up to commanders, directors, and supervisors to decide if they would still permit extra days off. Here’s how Air Force major commands are taking that guidance.