Morning Coffee 7-19-11

A robust blend of news from Pax River, NAVAIR, the Pentagon and beyond:
- Northrop gets $24.9 million modification for UCAS autonomous refueling, and Rolls Royce gets $9.5 million boost for CV-22 engines.
- In government default, contractors can keep working, but they might not get paid.
- Hornets suffer from the same oxygen-generation system problems as the Air Force’s grounded raptors.
- JSF causing “crisis of confidence” about aircraft program costs.
- US, UK ponder JSF variant swap.
- DoD budget could get worse before it gets better.
- Contractor competition increasing as budgets tighten. (subscription required)
- Broken antenna cause many of the problems outlined in critical Fire Scout report.
- Former destroyer to become artificial reef off the coast of Ocean City.
- Fifth STOVL F-35 test plane arrives at Pax.