The Air National Guard has taken on a significant amount of responsibility since Sept. 11, 2001, that has allowed it to maintain its dual-hat role, but future budget constraints may force leaders to question exactly how much air sovereignty is really needed, said Gen. Craig McKinley, National Guard Bureau Chief. McKinley said he would like to see an Air Force presence in every state, because “we lose something when we take away the ability to have its citizens participate in defense. If less than one percent of citizens wear the uniform, in many states the only presence you will see in this color uniform is in the Guard and Reserve,” said McKinley.
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.