Senior US and Japanese military leaders gathered at Yokota AB, Japan, to celebrate the beginning of Air Defense Command operations at the base, located west of Tokyo. The Japan Air Self Defense Force relocated its ADC headquarters to Yokota from Fuchu Air Base to place it side-by-side with USAF’s air and space operations center and air component headquarters there. It’s one of the realignments intended to enhance the US-Japan Security Alliance. “These headquarters buildings, standing side by side, are a tangible result of our efforts to strengthen defense cooperation between our two countries,” said Lt. Gen. Burton Field, US Forces Japan commander, during Monday’s opening ceremony. He added, “They are a visible symbol that reflects the nature of our alliance as we work together to provide for the common defense of Japan.” (Yokota report by 2nd Lt. Christopher W. Love)
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.