Gen. John Raymond assumed command of Air Force Space Command from Gen. John Hyten during a ceremony broadcast live on Facebook from Peterson AFB, Colo., Tuesday. Air Force Chief of Staff General David Goldfein called Raymond was “the obvious choice” for the job because of his “experience, cyber expertise, and proven leadership.” In accepting his new position, Raymond said, “there’s no other organization in the world that does what you do.” Goldfein also praised Hyten for his two years of leadership at AFSPC, especially in standing up the successful Joint Interagency Combined Space Command (JICSPOC). “All I want to do is say ‘thank you,’” Hyten said. In reflection on his time at AFSPC, he noted “in cyber we delivered effects around the world that were only theories” a few years ago. Hyten has been confirmed as the next commander of US Strategic Command.
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.