Pacific Air Forces Commander Gen. Hawk Carlisle unveiled a new strategic plan aimed at prioritizing operations in the Asia-Pacific region while also maintaining a focus on the current fiscal realities. The strategy is based on three core tenets: expand engagement, increase combat capability, and improve warfighter integration. It also has five “critical lines of operation,” or broad focus areas, for the command. They include, theater security cooperation; integrated air and missile defense; power projection; agile, flexible command and control; and resilient airmen, states the June 11 release. “As the nation’s focus shifts to the Pacific, we needed a comprehensive strategy to guide us in this dynamic and challenging environment,” said Carlisle. The new strategy is intended to provide “unambiguous direction” to PACAF members as they strive to accomplish their mission. “Each line of operation will have a roadmap specifically tailored to achieve our desired endstate,” said Carlisle. “I want PACAF airmen to consider these roadmaps my personal, written instructions.”
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.