Army Maj. Gen. Charles Hooper, US Africa Command’s director of strategy, plans, and programs, said AFRICOM’s small force structure, limited assets, and relatively small budget stand as a model for the leaner, more agile operations outlined in the Obama Administration’s new defense strategy. “If you look at the strategic guidance, it talks about a small footprint,” said Hooper in a June 11 Pentagon release. He added, “I would say that Africa Command is the quintessential small footprint. . . . We have become masters at providing the maximum return on investment.” AFRICOM has no permanently assigned forces and limited headquarters forces on the ground. “I think we get a disproportionately positive effect for a relatively small investment,” said AFRICOM Commander Army Gen. Carter Ham. “We don’t use lots of troops. Generally, our exercises and engagements are pretty small-scale.” He said the effect of AFRICOM’s engagement “is multiplied because our focus is on training and enabling the Africans to do things for themselves.” (AFPS report by Donna Miles)
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.