p, .Maj. Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, former deputy director of operations for US Pacific Command, last week assumed command of the 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force-Afghanistan during a ceremony at Kabul International Airport. Wilsbach took the task force’s reins from Maj. Gen. Jake Polumbo during the April 25 change-of-command ceremony. Polumbo led the organization since May 2012 and is moving on to head 9th Air Force at Shaw AFB. S.C. “It is my distinct honor to pass the guidon between two of the very finest airmen and leaders our service has ever raised,” said Lt. Gen. David Goldfein, Air Forces Central Command chief, who presided over the ceremony. Addressing the airmen at the ceremony, Wilsbach said, “We will continue to work as hard as humanly possible to ensure coalition forces in the country have the decisive airpower they need to accomplish their missions.” He added, “We will continue to aide and assist our Afghan partners to continue to grow their Air Force and establish a national airspace system that supports a stable and prosperous society.” (Kabul report by Capt. Anastasia Wasem)
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.