t: Air Forces Southern, fresh off of the smashing success of its first Operation Southern Partner partnership-building activities in South America, is already planning for the next iteration in this series of subject-matter exchanges with partner air forces in its area of responsibility. Having just sponsored a two-week trip of more than 70 airmen to South America to work alongside airmen from Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay, AFSOUTH intends to carry out the next OSP, this time in the Caribbean, in spring 2009. “Our team is building on the lessons learned … to ensure the next OSP is even more useful to our partners, includes more opportunities to meet with members of the community, and is even more groundbreaking than the first iteration,” said Lt. Col. Mitch Hanscom, OSP director. (12th Air Force report by Capt. Nathan D. Broshear)
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.