Gen.
Duncan McNabb assumed command of US Transportation Command during a ceremony Sept. 5 at Scott AFB, Ill. Defense Secretary Robert Gates presided over the ceremony, which Adm. Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also attended. “There is little doubt that this command requires a special kind of leader—one who can maintain a focus on details within the context of massive and myriad operations,” Gates said. “Gen. McNabb is the right person for this job.” McNabb, who had been serving as Air Force vice chief of staff since last September, returns to Scott after having led Air Mobility Command there from October 2005 to September 2007. McNabb is the ninth TRANSCOM commander. He succeeds Gen. Norton Schwartz, who became Chief of Staff Aug. 12, following the service’s recent leadership shakeup. (Scott report)
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.