The Air Force on Thursday released its plan to implement the force structure changes mandated by Congress in the Fiscal 2013 defense authorization act. The legislation directed the Air Force to reduce its force structure by 122 aircraft and approximately 6,100 military billets across the Active Duty component, 65 aircraft and some 1,400 military billets from the Air National Guard, and 57 aircraft from the Air Force Reserve, according to the service’s March 28 release. This includes completing actions approved in previous years, states the release. Included in the 12-page implementation plan is a state-by-state description of the changes for each Air Force base and the associated timeline. “Our Air Force continues efforts to maximize the strength of our Total Force, and we are pleased with the progress that is being made on this front,” said Air Force Secretary Michael Donley in the release. “This implementation plan illustrates the Air Force’s continued commitment to transparency as it completes the force structure requirements directed and authorized by the [legislation],” he added. (See also Defense Authorization Conference Report Concluded and Air Force Announces Intratheater Airlift Decisions.)
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.