Pentagon boss Bob Gates plans to remain at his post at least through 2010. He entered the job under the Bush Administration, replacing Donald Rumsfeld in December 2006, and has remained there at the request of President Obama. Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell told Pentagon reporters late last week that Obama and Gates “agreed to revisit this issue again later in the year, but for all intents and purposes, their original agreement still stands: [Gates] serves at the pleasure of the President indefinitely, and he is honored to do so.” (AFPS report by Jim Garamone)
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.