Sue Payton formally stepped down from her post as the Air Force’s top weapons buyer on April 8 after more than two-and-a-half years in the post. Air Force spokeswoman Karen Platt told the Daily Report yesterday that, at Payton’s request, there was no statement issued on her departure or any other fanfare. David Van Buren, who had been serving since last year as Payton’s principal deputy, is now the acting head of USAF’s acquisition office. We reported last week that Payton’s departure was pending.
Sierra Nevada Corp. has acquired five ex-Korean Air 747-8 jumbo jets on which it will host the Survivable Airborne Operations Center. The jets will be transferred next year and will serve as the platforms for the SAOC, the $13 billion contract for which SNC won last month. The jets were…