Eight 
months into the fiscal year, the Air Force’s Total Force is right on track to meeting its recruiting goals for Fiscal 2102, according to the Pentagon’s newest recruiting statistics. Released on June 29, the data show that the Air Force’s Active Duty component, the Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve have all met or exceeded their fiscal-year-to-date numerical accession goals through May. The Active Duty component brought in 18,952 accessions through May, matching its goal. Meanwhile, the Air Guard attracted 5,669 new recruits, four more than its target. The Reserve met its goal by accepting 5,691 accessions. Across the US military, only the Army National Guard fell short of meeting or exceeding its year-to-date goal through May. (See also our coverage of April’s recruiting figures.) (For more on the Air Force’s recruiting efforts, read 21st Century Recruiting from Air Force Magazine’s June issue.)
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.