An Army delegation led by Gen. Ann Dunwoody, head of Army Materiel Command, last week traveled to Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, to discuss weapon-systems acquisition with members of Air Force Materiel Command. Dunwoody met with Gen. Donald Hoffman, AFMC boss, on July 1. The Secretary of the Army has directed an acquisition review for the land service and Dunwoody and her staff wanted to learn more about the Air Force’s acquisition improvement plan and the lessons that AFMC is learning in executing it. Dunwoody and her staff were reportedly especially interested in how AFMC handles the complexities of translating warfighter needs into acquisition requirements. Wright-Patterson officials said AFMC senior staff emphasized the importance of establishing clear lines of authority and accountability within acquisition organizations. (Along those lines, AFMC just implemented a realignment of its organizations.) (Wright-Patterson photo caption by Michelle Eviston) (See also June 30 Wright-Patterson report)
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.