Air Force Special Operations Command turned its safety record on end last year, taking Air Force honors for having the best major command safety record, most effective major command-level flight safety program, and best ground safety program. In 2005 the command sustained six Class A mishaps, and in 2006 zero. “We went from worst to first in Air Force flight safety for one reason—leadership,” said Col. Richard McNabb, AFSOC director of safety. He credited not only AFSOC boss Lt. Gen. Michael Wooley but also “leadership all the way down.” It was no easy feat, considering, as Wooley told journalist CMSgt. Gary Emery, AFSOC airmen “train and operate in a higher-risk environment than the Air Force in general.”
Boeing received a $2.47 billion Air Force contract Nov. 25 for 15 more KC-46s, bringing to 183 the number of Pegasus tankers on contract to all customers, foreign and domestic. The new contract—for Lot 12 of the initially planned KC-46 buy—is to be completed by 2029.
