The Senate approved the nomination of Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford to lead US and NATO forces in Afghanistan. Senators confirmed him on Dec. 3 by voice vote on the Senate floor, according to the Senate’s website. Dunford, currently the Marine Corps’ assistant commandant, will head the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, replacing Marine Corps Gen. John Allen, who has served in that role since July 2011. Obama tapped Dunford in October for the post, saying at the time Dunford would “lead our forces through key milestones in our effort that will allow us to bring the war to a close responsibly” by the end of 2014. Obama has nominated Allen to be the next NATO supreme allied commander for Europe and also lead US European Command.
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.