Subsequent to our entry last week on President Obama approving the new unified command plan, the Defense Department has issued the map reflecting the revised areas of responsibilities for the US combatant commands that are reflected in the revised document. Among the revisions, responsibility for the Arctic region is now shared between US Northern Command and US European Command, rather than NORTHCOM, EUCOM, and US Pacific Command as was the case in the previous plan from 2008. NORTHCOM also has responsibility to advocate for Arctic capabilities. Further, Alaska now falls under NORTHCOM instead of Northern Command and PACOM. (DOD release) (UCP 2011 map; caution, large-sized file.)
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.