Gen. 
Robert Kehler last week assumed command of US Strategic Command at Offutt AFB, Neb. Defense Secretary Robert Gates presided over the change-of-command ceremony, during which Kehler took the reins of authority from Gen. Kevin Chilton, who led STRATCOM since October 2007 and is retiring from the Air Force after 34 years of uniformed service. “I pledge to you that the strategic challenges facing our nation will command all the energy and commitment I can muster,” Kehler told the approximately 1,000 ceremony attendees. He added, “The security challenges facing our nation are complex, unremitting and compelling. Addressing them requires our complete focus, effective partnerships, and synchronized efforts.” Kehler comes to Offutt from Peterson AFB, Colo., where he led Air Force Space Command since October 2007. Prior to that assignment, he was STRATCOM’s deputy commander. Chilton’s retirement takes effect on Feb. 1. (Offutt release) (Kehler’s updated biography)
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.