Gen
. Norton Schwartz formally became the new Air Force Chief of Staff during a ceremony yesterday at Bolling AFB, D.C. Schwartz said he is “humbled and honored” to serve in the post. He replaces Gen. Michael Moseley whom Defense Secretary Robert Gates dismissed in June, along with former Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne over what Gates said were shortcomings in the Air Force’s stewardship of nuclear weapons. Schwartz said he would work to address any shortcomings. “Knowing our nation expects our very, very best, we certainly have some things to fix, some fences to mend, and some challenges to overcome,” he said. “We will show ourselves worthy of the sacred trust our leaders, our joint brethren, and the American people place in us, because this business is all about trust.” Schwartz was most recently head of US Transportation Command at Scott AFB, Ill. (Includes AFPS report by Army SSgt. Michael Carden)
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.