US military reconstruction teams that are heading off to Afghanistan to help rebuild the Southwest Asian nation are training at Ft. Bragg, N.C., before deploying for yearlong rotations. Airmen are among soldiers and sailors who comprise 12 provincial reconstruction teams that have been training at the Army facility since January. Air Force officers lead six of the teams. Training skills include tactical security, combat training, communications, checkpoints, perimeter guard duty and language training. The teams began deploying last month.
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.