Air Force Space Command officials announced the makeover of the current space badge, now renamed the space operations badge. “In order to clarify space mission roles and responsibilities, I am restricting wear of the space operations badge to primarily space operations specialties and selected individuals who have performed operations-focused duties,” said AFSC boss Gen. William Shelton, in a Dec. 11 release. Space professionals awarded the badge prior to the start date who do not fall into the 13S space and missile operations or the 1C6 space systems operations career fields will be grandfathered in. Airmen who conduct space operations duties, such as sending commands to satellites in orbit, but are not included in a space operations AFSC may still apply for the new badge. Badges for these specific airmen—categorized as basic, senior, or command badges—are based on time spent performing operations-focused duties, according to the release. (AFSC report by MSgt. Kevin Williams)
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.