New Presidential Helicopter Fleet on Schedule
Sikorsky is four years into its $1.2 billion contract to replace the president’s helicopter fleet with its VH-92A in 2019.
DoD to Decentralize F-35 Program
The letter to the Pentagon announcing plans to decentralize the F35 program office came from the newly reconfigured office of the undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment. Each service running its own program is a more traditional model.
F-22s Have a Failure to Communicate
What the F-22s have is a failure to communicate, with the F-35 and also the F-16 and other allied aircraft. The older fighter jet can receive communications, but cannot transmit its surveillance intelligence to the others.
F-35 Costs Stabilized, says DoD
The price of the most expensive weapon system in history, the F-35, has stabilized based on development and production costs. The DoD assessment does not figure in upcoming software upgrades.
Grosklags: Hypoxia Incidents on the Decline
Senate Armed Services Committee members hear that the rate of hypoxia incidents in the Navy’s T-45 training jets has decreased in the past six months. The frequency of these episodes has dropped from its peak of more than three per month to about one per month.
Only Half of F-35s Available for Flight
Of the 280 operational F-35s purchased by the US and international partners, only 51 percent are currently available for flight, according to the F-35 Joint Program Office.
F-35, Warthog About to Go Head to Head
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and the A-10 Warthog are about to go head to head in comparison tests mandated by the fiscal 2017 National Defense Authorization Act. The F-35 has been heavily anticipated since its development began in the 1990s, but the A-10 has provided the Air Force with close air support since it entered service in 1976 and has developed a loyal fan base along the way.
The F-35 Adds International Sales, Supply-lines & Specs
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter advances into its international, operational life: Japan orders 20 more; Canada opens bids for operational maintenance contracts; Norway verifies its unique deceleration system for icy runways and windy conditions.
Organizational Changes Likely in Pacific Fleet
The US Navy is pressing toward a major organizational change that could strip US Pacific Fleet of some or all of its functions and consolidate that power under US Fleet Forces Command on the East Coast.
Problems Aside, DoD Plans for More F-35s
Pentagon seeks to spend $10.7 billion more on F-35s in FY19, despite persistent problems. DoD plans to put 77 more joint strike fighters their FY19 budget plan, which is due out next week.
