Defense Secretary Ash Carter on Monday urged Turkey and US-backed rebels in Syria to not engage each other and keep the focus on defeating ISIS, but Turkish forces continue to push beyond the recently claimed city of Jarablus. The Syrian Defense Forces (SDF) includes Kurdish YPG forces that Turkey has called terrorists and has repeatedly targeted. The SDF has promised to move to the eastern side of the Euphrates River and not try to claim any land. Turkish jets and forces have hit SDF positions, and a rocket attack killed a Turkish soldier, Al Jazeera reported. While Carter is calling on the two to stop the hostilities, Secretary of State John Kerry said last week the refusal of the SDF to move East of the Euphrates would mean an end of US support.
Boeing’s receipt of the 10th lot contract award for the KC-46 Pegasus this week leaves just three lots left to complete the Air Force’s buy of the tanker, although a further buy of 75 additional aircraft as a “bridge” to the Next-Generation Aerial-refueling System (NGAS) seems increasingly likely.