The Air Force Historical Research Agency approved the emblem of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, announced center officials on Aug. 21. AFLCMC is the new arm of Air Force Materiel Command that’s responsible for the cradle-to-grave management of the Air Force’s aircraft, communications systems, armaments, and cyber capabilities. The emblem includes a golden globe on a field of blue. Running through the middle of the globe is an upright lance that represents the center’s heritage of developing munitions, said the officials. There is also a pair of lightning bolts nearly encircling the globe symbolizing the center’s electronic systems, including cyber capability. A stylized triangular aircraft cradled at the top of the lightning bolts and lance represents the aircraft systems AFLCMC manages. AFMC activated the center on July 9.
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.