A fresh crop of 1,274 basic cadet trainees started their in-processing and entered basic cadet training on June 24 at the Air Force Academy in Colorado. Of these appointees, who make up the academy’s class of 2014, there are 291 women (22.8 percent of the class) and 350 minorities (27.4 percent), including black (7.9 percent), Hispanic (8.9 percent), native American (one percent), and Pacific islander (9.8 percent). Basic cadet training runs through July 31. The Academy’s fall semester starts on Aug. 7. (Air Force Academy report by John Van Winkle)
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.