Officials with NORAD and US Northern Command on May 18 commemorated a new 9/11 memorial at the entrance of the commands’ headquarters building at Peterson AFB, Colo. The memorial features a steel beam recovered from the World Trade Center that was donated by the National Homeland Defense Foundation. The memorial is a symbol of the tragic loss on 9/11 and the need to remain vigilant to protect US freedoms, said Gen. Gene Renuart, who still led NORAD and NORTHCOM on that day, but relinquished those positions on the next day under a scheduled change of command. “But as you can see,” he continued, “it also points to the heavens. It’s a symbol of anticipation, of enthusiasm, of commitment, of hope for the nation and for the future.” Navy Adm. James Winnefeld replaced Renuart, who officially retires July 1. (Peterson report by SSgt. Thomas Doscher)
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.