Michael Marrow covers air warfare for Breaking Defense. He holds a BA in history from the University of Virginia and started out as a freelance reporter covering local news in Fairfax County, Virginia and policing in Charlottesville, Virginia. Michael previously reported on the Air Force and Space Force for Inside Defense, where he tracked major acquisitions, policy changes and modernization efforts.
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said that if the development cost was lower, the Air Force may have found the space in its budget to fund the engine for its jets alone, “but at the level of several billion dollars to do that [engineering and manufacturing development], we couldn’t get there.”
The Air Force has been asking Congress for permission to mothball the aircraft for years, which lawmakers approved in fiscal 2023. The FY24 budget is likely to ask for more retirements.
The drones will provide an “affordable mass” to augment the lethality of fighters. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall says they need to be a “fraction” of the cost of the F-35.
Service acquisition chief Andrew Hunter said the initial tranche of collaborative combat aircraft wingmen are “very much within grasp,” with capability expected to be delivered by the end of the decade.
Highly adept Ukrainian and Russian air defenses have mutually denied air superiority, a problem particularly acute for close air support missions. “Both of their integrated air and missile defense, especially when you’re talking about going against aircraft, have been very effective,” Gen. James Hecker said.
Air Force acquisition chief Andrew Hunter indicated he was leaning toward buying 75 more KC-46A tankers as a bridge to an accelerated next-gen program.
The Pentagon grounded what officials say is a small number of F35s following the crash of a Joint Strike Fighter in December. The new hardware addresses the “harmonic resonance” issue officials identified during the investigation into the crash.
Chinese counterparts are declining to engage even on working-level dialogues, according to Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Ely Ratner, raising greater fears that misinterpretation could spark conflict.
The Air Force previously provided notice it would award the contract to Boeing in a sole-source acquisition. The first aircraft is scheduled to arrive in fiscal 2027.
The fighters require the fix to correct the “harmonic resonance” issue identified during the investigation into the crash of an F-35B in December. “This is a very elegant solution,” a Pratt official said.
With programs like MTC, Millennium Space Systems is redefining what it means to be an operational prime – rapidly delivering operational small sat constellations on rapid timelines.
With programs like MTC, Millennium Space Systems is redefining what it means to be an operational prime – rapidly delivering operational small sat constellations on rapid timelines.
DoD uses FAR Part 12 acquisitions to save hundreds of millions of dollars in “of a type” systems like civil landing systems with applicability to military aircraft.
DoD uses FAR Part 12 acquisitions to save hundreds of millions of dollars in “of a type” systems like civil landing systems with applicability to military aircraft.
