The Air Force’s new family of career specialty codes for cyberspace support (3DXXX) that took effect Nov. 1 supplants the three former career fields of communications-electronics (2EXXX), knowledge operations management (3AXXX), and communications-computer systems (3CXXX). About 43,000 active duty, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve personnel from former communications career fields now fall under the 11 new cyberspace support specialty codes as do more than 8.800 civilian-equivalent positions. This conversion process had been underway for more than a year and a half as part of USAF’s drive to bolster its cyberforce. Airmen in this field will receive a new occupational badge that will become mandatory wear by next June. (SAF/PA report, including full list of cyber support specialty codes)
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.