Maryland Secures 500,000 COVID Tests
MD Gov. Larry Hogan and First Lady Yumi Hogan procured 5,000 COVID-19 testing kits, capable of administering 500,000 tests, from a South Korean company for $9 million.
F-35 Called Safe, Despite Wrong Bolts
DoD’s acquisition chief says the F-35 fleet is safe to fly, despite an unknown number of under-strength bolts in critical areas of the jet. Neither the Pentagon nor Lockheed know how many aircraft are affected.
DoD F-35 Report: Hundreds of Deficiencies, 13 ‘Must-Fix’ Problems
A DoD annual report says the F-35 has hundreds of unresolved deficiencies and new problems are being discovered regularly. There’s a long list of issues that should be resolved, including 13 described as Category 1 “must-fix” items.
DoD Wants More F-35s in the Air
It’s a tall order from DefSec Jim Mattis, but the US needs more F-35s in the air. Ellen Lord, under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, says they’ll get it done.
Trump Shifts Military From Counterterrorism to Competition
The Trump administration shifts US military focus from counterterrorism to competition with peer adversaries such as China.
New Performance Incentives for F-35, Not for Industry
Lockheed’s contract for future F-35s is tied to performance incentives, but DoD efforts to tie all defense contracts to performance indicators has been withdrawn in the face of industry and congressional outcry.
Arms Sales Rise for First Time Since 2010
Global arms sales by the world’s top 100 defense contractors rose last year for the first time since 2010,
First DoD-Wide Audit Announced
The Pentagon’s office of the inspector general announced the start of the first agencywide financial audit. Beginning in 2018, audits will occur annually.
Is F-35 ‘Ready to Go at 50 Below’?
Along with everything else, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has to operate in harsh weather conditions. A series of tests is slated for Eielson AFB in Alaska, with the motto, “Ready to Go at 50 Below!”
