Air Force Materiel Command announced Tuesday that its acquisition elements would abandon the wing, group, and squadron construct they adopted several years ago as a way to foster a more operational acquisition force. (Gen. Donald Hoffman, head of Air Force Materiel Command, had acknowledged in February this change was coming.) The new construct builds on the Air Force acquisition improvement plan that aims to bolster effectiveness and revitalize the acquisition workforce. AFMC expects to implement the switch to directorates, divisions, and branches by June 30. Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, Wednesday announced its new structure, which ASC boss Lt. Gen. Tom Owen said would “significantly improve communication and oversight of programs.” ASC plans five directorates: agile combat support, fighters/bombers, intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance/special operations forces, mobility, and tanker. (Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom AFB, Mass., predicted the change last fall.) (See AFMC release for the full list of affected units.) (Wright-Patterson report by Daryl Mayer) (For background, see Air Force Magazine’s Operational Acquisition from April 2004)
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.