The Senate last week approved Lt. Gen. Larry James for reappointment to three-star rank for his new assignment overseeing intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance matters on the Air Staff. James will replace Lt. Gen. David Deptula, who formally retired on Oct. 1. James has led 14th Air Force (Air Forces Strategic-Space) at Vandenberg AFB, Calif., since December 2008. Taking over at 14th AF is Maj. Gen. Susan Helms, whom the Senate approved last week for promotion to the rank of lieutenant general for the assignment. She’s been director of plans and policy for U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt AFB, Neb., since November 2008.
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.