Army Gen. Raymond Thomas took command of US Special Operations Command during a ceremony Wednesday at MacDill AFB, Fla. Thomas took command of the military’s special operators from Army Gen. Joseph Votel, who now leads US Central Command. Thomas previously served as commander of Joint Special Operations Command before his nomination in February. A West Point graduate, Thomas is a career special operator, who served in the Army’s Delta Force. “Tony Thomas has lived this commitment like few warriors in his generation,” Defense Secretary Ash Carter said at the ceremony. “He has led many of our most elite warfighters through the gates of fire and has helped our partner forces to escape them. On so many days and so many missions, Tony’s leadership has provided shelter for the people of this country.”
The Pentagon has concluded a new agreement to buy laser-guidance kits that turn rockets into drone-killing weapons. BAE Systems and the Defense Department announced a framework deal of up to seven years for 25,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System guidance kits annually for the U.S. military.