One of the ways the Air Force may look to draw in cyber talent in the future is through “alternate career paths” or “alternate personnel systems,” said Brig. Gen. Brian Kelly, the Air Force’s Military Force Management Policy director, at ASC15. With these career paths and personnel systems in place, the Air Force can obtain more mid-level, talented cyber experts by laterally shifting them into the Air Force “?and have them progress through the system,” said Kelly during a media roundtable with Air Force Services Director Brig. Gen. Lenny Richoux, and the Air Staff’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion Chevy Cleaves. “We haven’t really implemented that yet, but that’s certainly something we’re looking at,” said Kelly. Cyber is one of the key areas the Air Force is focusing on growing in Fiscal 2016, especially as it continues to integrate with operations.
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.