Maj. Gen. Joseph D. Brown IV, 54, and his wife, Sue S. Brown, 52, died on April 19 when the Cessna 210 that he was piloting crashed in Williamsburg, Va. General Brown had been the commandant of the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy at National Defense University in Washington, D.C., since October 2010. Sue Brown was president of the Air Force Officers’ Wives Club of Washington, D.C. “We are deeply saddened by the loss of Joe Brown and his wife, Sue. Our thoughts and prayers are with their family, friends, and the members of the National Defense University as they come to terms with the tragedy,” stated Air Force Secretary Michael Donley and Chief of Staff Gen Mark Welsh in a release. “Joe and Sue dedicated their lives in service to our nation and their loss will be felt across our Air Force and joint team.” The crash occurred at 4:53 p.m. local time near the Williamsburg-Jamestown Airport, where the aircraft was supposed to land, reported the Richmond Times-Dispatch. The cause of the crash is under investigation. Witnesses said the Cessna showed signs of distress before it crashed, reported The Virginia Gazette. The couple’s pet dog also died in the crash. (General Brown’s official Air Force biography and NDU biography) (See also ABC News report.)
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.