The Air Force recently implemented a new inspection system designed to give more power to wing commanders and eliminate disruptions that the old inspection regime was having on units, announced service officials on Wednesday. The service codified the new approach with the signing of program action directive 13-01, states a July 24 release. US Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa beta tested this inspection system, according to the release. The new setup “rebalances authority from functional staffs to commanders” and “enables commanders to focus on mission readiness, not inspection readiness,” said Col. Robert Hyde, Air Force director of inspections. Under the previous arrangement, major commands sent their inspector general, along with dozens of function inspection teams, to inspect how ready and compliant a unit was. Under the new way, “the Majcom commander says to the wing commander, ‘You inspect your unit and tell me how ready, compliant, and sure your unit is,'” said Hyde. The goal is to make inspections a nonevent, part of the daily battle rhythm of continuous improvement, states the release. (Washington, D.C., report by SSgt. David Salanitri)
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.