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Air Force

DOT&E Questions Logic, Legality of DoD’s F-35 Block Buy Approach

Pat Host

Monday, February 1st, 2016

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DOT&E Questions Logic, Legality of DoD’s F-35 Block Buy Approach

F-35 developer Lockheed Martin is part of the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) trade group. Photo: Air Force

The Defense Department’s chief weapons tester questions the logic and legality of the Pentagon’s block buy approach to buying F-35s due to the program’s state of maturity and the law’s “fly before you buy” approach to defense acquisition.Michael Gilmore, director of operational test and evaluation (OT&E), said in his annual report released Monday that DoD should carefully consider whether committing to a block buy, composed of three lots of aircraft comprising as many as 270 jets, is prudent. Gilmore said…

Congress

Wisconsin GOP Lawmakers Urge Trump Admin Support For Marines’ JLTV Second Supplier Effort

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Congress

Senate’s CR Has Ship Construction Exemption, Forgoes White House’s Battleship, Munitions Requests

The Senate on Sunday released a bipartisan stopgap funding proposal to keep the government open through December 11, which would also secure additional funds to support ongoing shipbuilding efforts and […]

Congress

U.S. Fighter Fleet Will Expand By 2040 But More Stealth Aircraft Will Mean Less Availability, CBO Says

The number of fighter aircraft in the U.S. military inventory will decline over the next few years before expanding to a greater number than currently, but their availability for operational […]

Congress

White House Details ‘Concerns’ With Shipbuilding, Spaced-Based Interceptor Oversight In House’s NDAA

The White House has detailed “a number of concerns” with the newly-passed House version of the next defense policy bill, to include the legislation’s limits on procuring Navy ships built […]