F-35 JSF Has Friends in High Places
The chairman of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee and 70 House members are calling for an agreement with the Senate to pay for 11 new F-35s, while at the same time adding $100 million to help the Air Force fund advance procurement for 2018.
Aerial Refueling Tests Go Well at Pax
Air-to-air refueling tests continue at NAS Patuxent River. Tests will authorize the Italian KC-767A to refuel the F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet, AV-8B Harrier, and EA-6B Prowlers.
Triton to Enter Initial Production
Morning Coffee is a robust blend of links to news around the Internet concerning the Naval Air Station Patuxent River economic community. The opinions expressed here do not reflect opinions of the Leader’s owners or staff. MQ-4C Triton moves out of development into initial production, reports USNI.org. The decision follows Triton’s successful operational assessment in February. The F-35 joint program office is eyeing the middle of the next decade for major upgrades to the engines on the joint strike fighter. Lt. Gen. Chris Bogdan, who heads the JPO, said the “mid-2020s” is when the power plant on the joint strike fighter could…
F-35 Fuel Line Fix, Savings On the Way
A fix for the fuel tank insulation problem,currently grounding 15 F-35As, is one its way, and predicted $2B savings with a block buy of 450 F-35s .
JSF Helmet/Ejection Fix Nears for Small Pilots
F-35 joint program office says modifications to the helmet and ejection seat will fix the increased risks to lightweight pilots ejected from the plane.
Budget Caps Good for Spending Discipline
Not all bad, experts say: statutory budget caps keep the brake on defense spending.
DoD Missing Own Goals on Competitive Bidding
DoD is falling short of its goals for bidding out contracts competitively.
Hypoxia Nagging Safety Problem in Some Aircraft
Pilots in F/A-18 Hornet variants and EA-18G Growler aircraft may be vulnerable to hypoxia-like symptoms.
US, So. Korea Engage in Round of War Games
The US and South Korea have kicked off a new round of war games despite protests from North Korea, which threatened a pre-emptive nuclear strike.
Four Stars Debate Military Readiness
Retired generals Carter Ham and David Petraeus share different views on military readiness.
