The Air Force will continue to offer voluntary separation and retirement programs for enlisted airmen in Fiscal 2012 as part of its continuing force-shaping measures. The Air Force’s end strength will continue to surpass congressionally mandated levels this fiscal year, according to service manpower officials. “Extraordinarily talented airmen have answered our nation’s call,” said Col. Kenneth Sersun, Air Force military policy division chief. “With so many airmen wanting to serve, we now have more airmen serving than the authorized 332,800 end strength funded by Congress.” The voluntary programs will focus on airmen in “non-critical, overage specialties.” Eligible airmen are urged to begin applying immediately for limited active duty service commitment waivers, transfers from the active duty to the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, or to make the switch to the Army. (Randolph report by Eric M. Grill) (See also Too Much of a Good Thing from Air Force Magazine’s archives.)
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.