Lt. Gen. Michael Gould became the 18th superintendent of the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., at a ceremony there June 9. Gould was nominated for the academy’s top post in February to replace Lt. Gen. John Regni who is retiring, effective July 1. Regni led the academy since October 2005. Gould had been serving since last June as director of operations and plans for US Transportation Command at Scott AFB, Ill. “There is no more noble and important mission than the one we have here,” Gould said upon assuming his new post. He added, “We are responsible for developing future leaders.” Gould is a class of 1976 academy graduate and is the first superintendant to graduate from the US Air Force Prep School. Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, who presided over the leadership change ceremony, said the academy is “in good hands” under Gould. (Colorado Springs report by SSgt. Eric Bolt)
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.