Maj. Gen. Roger Burg, commander of 20th Air Force, which oversees USAF’s ICBM forces, on Wednesday removed Col. Christopher Ayres from his post as commander of the 91st Missile Wing at Minot AFB, N.D. Ayres was relieved “due to loss of confidence in his ability to command,” according to a release from Air Force Space Command headquarters. He was not relieved for any alleged misconduct or wrongdoing, but recent incidents, including an Aug. 31 accident involving a vehicle transporting Minuteman III ICBM components, contributed to the loss of confidence, AFSPC said. Ayres took command of the wing in May 2008. “We must have complete confidence in our leadership as we continue the revitalization of the nuclear enterprise,” said AFSPC boss Gen. Robert Kehler, who approved of the decision.
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.