Members of the 607th Air and Space Operations Center at Osan AB, South Korea, welcomed the addition of 8th Army’s joint interface control cell to the center’s combat operations division. “This first ever merger of an Army-level joint interface control cell team solves many of the complexities associated with joint and coalition data link integration and the challenges we all face with command and control systems across the Korean theater,” said Maj. Roscoe Rauch, joint interface control officer for 7th Air Force at Osan. The soldiers bring technical expertise in shared early warning systems for air and missile defense. “I’m very excited about the unlimited potential and possibilities that our new JICC team will bring,” said Col. James McGovern, 607th AOC commander. He added, “[This] is arguably one of the best examples of warfighter integration in Korea for many years.” (Osan report by Army Sgt. Ryan Manuel)
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.