Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Sept. 10 toured the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pa., on the eve of the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. He laid a wreath in honor of the passengers and crew of Flight 93 who fought back against their hijackers that day to prevent them from using the airliner as a weapon like the aircraft the brought down the World Trade Center towers and damaged the Pentagon. “Their example continues to inspire and to strengthen our nation,” said Panetta in remarks at the site. He called the passengers and crew “heroes” for giving their lives for the families and country they loved. In his weekly address to the nation on Sept. 8, President Obama said the terrorists did not succeed on 9/11 in defeating the American spirit. “No adversary and no act of terrorism can change who we are,” he said. “We are Americans, and we will protect and preserve this country we love. On this solemn anniversary, let’s remember those we lost, let us reaffirm the values they stood for, and let us keep moving forward as one nation and one people.” (AFPS report by Claudette Roulo) (Obama’s remarks)
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.