Air Forces Africa launched the inaugural Africa Partnership Flight, bringing several air forces from East Africa together for military-to-military exchange at Accra, Ghana. “At the end, if we do nothing more than strengthen relationships, old and new, that’s value added,” said Col. Dave Poage, APF mission commander, of the two-week event that began on Monday. “Just getting to know each other and creating partnerships among a myriad of organizations will make it successful,” he added. Hosted by the Ghanaian Air Force, airmen from several major commands, including AFAFRICA and US Air Forces in Europe, are meeting with more than 160 personnel from Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal. “Good knowledge of best practices . . . is very crucial to the success of any modern air force,” said Air Commodore Emanuel Ahadome, GAF logistics chief. US Africa Command is incorporating APF into its outreach activities this year as a routine, small-footprint capacity-building tool. (Accra report by SSgt. Brok McCarthy)
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.