The 38th Cyberspace Engineering Installation Group simultaneously activated three new squadrons, appointing a civilian director to head each of the units in a ceremony at Tinker AFB, Okla. The newly formed 38th Contracting Squadron will oversee cyber and telecommunications contracts, while the specialized 38th Engineering Squadron will focus on rapidly adapting new commercial computing technology to defense need. Joining the two squadrons under the 38th CEIG, the 38th Operations Support Squadron will provide financial and personnel management of cyber activities Air Force-wide. Cyberspace “is the linchpin of everything the Air Force does today, and key to our national defense,” said Toni Tirone, whose role was pivotal in the stand-up of the 38th OSS. The three units stood up on Jan. 6. (Tinker release)
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.