Army Gen. Joseph Votel is the new leader of US Central Command, assuming leadership from retiring Army Gen. Lloyd Austin during a Wednesday ceremony. Votel, who was nominated in January, brings a special operations background to CENTCOM, having previously served as commander of US Special Operations Command and as a Ranger regiment commander. “Joe has forged difficult consensus and cemented strong partnerships with many of his regional counterparts,” Defense Secretary Ash Carter said during the ceremony at MacDill AFB, Fla. “His political-military skill and strength as a warrior diplomat make him the perfect fit to lead CENTCOM, a command where our partners matter so much and our partnerships run so deep.”
The Air Force has launched a replacement for the E-3 Sentry AWACS, asking Boeing for data on the E-7 Wedgetail. The Wedgetail is flying with Australia's air force and has been selected by three other countries. A government announcement said Boeing is being asked to provide information as the sole…