Defense Daily :: Daily Air Force procurement, legislation, jobs, programs and operations news

Murtha: Latest Tanker Fight Bolsters Case For Split Buy

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 0:00:00 EST

By Emelie Rutherford The House's lead defense appropriator said yesterday industry and congressional squabbling over the Air Force's latest solicitation for aerial-refueling tankers proves the best way to dodge further delays with the aircraft is to have both...

Mullen: War Supplemental Needed, Programs Scrutinized In Next Budget

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 0:00:00 EST

By Emelie Rutherford The military's top officer predicted yesterday the Pentagon will seek supplemental war funding this fiscal year, reinforcing lawmakers' stance that the Bush administration practice of covering wartime costs via emergency spending bills is...

Levin: Afghanistan Main Post-Defense Bill Priority, Supp War Money Needed

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 0:00:00 EST

By Emelie Rutherford The head of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) said yesterday he expects to focus acutely on the war in Afghanistan in the near future, and predicted Congress will need to approve supplemental war funding later this fiscal year...

Skelton: More DoD Acquisition Reforms, QDR Scrutiny Coming From Hill

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 0:00:00 EST

By Emelie Rutherford A senior lawmaker told Defense Daily he foresees acute congressional oversight of the Pentagon's procurement processes and Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) as defense weapon systems come under increased scrutiny. House Armed Services...

Skelton Open To Requiring Contractors To Turn Over Tech Data Packages

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 0:00:00 EST

By Emelie Rutherford A senior lawmaker said he sees merit in a proposal to mandate defense firms turn over technical specifications of their weapon systems to the Pentagon to allow additional companies to build the equipment. "We might have to do it at...

Tanker Rhetoric Heats Up, Again, On Hill

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 0:00:00 EDT

By Emelie Rutherford Alabama lawmakers backing the Northrop Grumman [NOC]-European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. bid to build new Air Force tankers ramped up their criticism yesterday of the Pentagon's latest industry solicitation, charging it favors rival...

Obama Will Sign Defense Bill With Disputed Engine Program

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 0:00:00 EDT

By Emelie Rutherford President Obama declared yesterday he will sign the defense authorization bill into law this week, quashing any lingering speculation he could veto the legislation because it supports an aircraft engine Pentagon leaders do not want...

Hill Northrop-EADS Backers: Draft Tanker RFP 'Fundamentally Flawed'

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 0:00:00 EDT

By Emelie Rutherford Alabama's congressional delegation is charging the solicitation for the Air Force's tanker competition is rife with flaws and does not spell out an appropriate "best value" competition. Pentagon officials briefed lawmakers...

Southeastern States Form Aerospace Alliance, Target Tanker Program

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 0:00:00 EDT

Government officials from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi yesterday said they have created a multi-state alliance aimed at promoting the Gulf Coast region as a "world class aerospace, space and aviation corridor" and that their first...

Senate Sends Defense Policy Bill To Obama Amid Engine Veto Questions

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 0:00:00 EDT

By Emelie Rutherford Senior lawmakers predicted President Obama will not veto the final Pentagon policy bill the Senate passed yesterday because it authorizes an aircraft engine program the Pentagon opposes. The Senate voted late yesterday, via a 68-29...

Pentagon: Non-Excess Reserve Equipment Won't Stay In Iraq

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 0:00:00 EDT

By Emelie Rutherford The Pentagon has opted against transferring non-excess National Guard and reserve equipment to Iraqi forces, appeasing lawmakers concerned about U.S. military response to domestic emergencies. "I am pleased to report that we were...

JSTARS And New Starts Lose, Bunker-Busting Bomb Wins In DoD Money Shift

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 0:00:00 EDT

By Emelie Rutherford Congress nixed the Pentagon's attempt to rejigger millions of dollars in its coffers for re-engining a troubled intelligence-gathering aircraft and launching several new weapons programs. The four congressional defense panels approved...

Pentagon, OMB Stand By VH-71 Veto Threat, F-35 Alternate Engine Concerns

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 0:00:00 EDT

By Emelie Rutherford The Pentagon and White House reminded lawmakers this week if the final fiscal year 2010 defense appropriations bill continues the canceled VH-71 presidential helicopter program President Obama would veto it. Yet administration officials...

Murtha Meets With Japan, Air Force On F-22 Foreign Sales

Fri, 9 Oct 2009 0:00:00 EDT

By Emelie Rutherford The House's lead defense appropriator said he met with Japanese and Air Force officials this week to help the foreign nation figure out if it would buy Lockheed Martin's [LMT] F-22 fighter jet if a legal ban on its export is lifted...

F-22 Out, F-35 Engine In Compromise DoD Authorization Bill

Thu, 8 Oct 2009 0:00:00 EDT

By Emelie Rutherford Defense authorizers unveiled yesterday a final Pentagon policy bill that kills a previous House attempt to continue production of the F-22 jet fighter the Obama administration opposes yet keeps alive the also-unrequested F-35 Joint Strike...

Hill Negotiators Keep F-35 Engine In DoD Bill; Levin Sees No Veto

Wed, 7 Oct 2009 0:00:00 EDT

By Emelie Rutherford House and Senate negotiators plan to announce today authorization for continuing the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter's second engine is in their compromise Pentagon authorization bill, a move a senior lawmaker predicts will not lead to a...

Senate Approves DoD Approps Bill With 10 C-17 Cargo Planes

Wed, 7 Oct 2009 0:00:00 EDT

By Emelie Rutherford The Senate passed a $626 billion fiscal year 2010 Pentagon appropriations bill last night by a 93-7 margin after rejecting an attempt to delete from it 10 cargo plans and securing funding in it for ground-based missile interceptors. Sen...

Defense Approps Nears Senate Passage

Fri, 2 Oct 2009 0:00:00 EDT

By Emelie Rutherford The Senate neared final passage of the defense appropriations bill last night after accepting amendments including one requiring the Pentagon report to Congress on ground-based interceptor missiles. The most-dramatic Senate vote on the...

Congress Squabbles Over DoD Budget Bills As Fiscal Year Starts

Thu, 1 Oct 2009 0:00:00 EDT

By Emelie Rutherford Lawmakers continued debating the Pentagon's two budget bills yesterday, hashing out whether to include controversial funding for C-17 cargo aircraft and a second engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, as fiscal year 2010 starts today...

Inouye Stands Behind F-35 Second Engine, Exportable F-22

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 0:00:00 EDT

By Emelie Rutherford The Senate's lead appropriator said last Friday he hopes the final defense appropriations bill being readied for the White House will fund the F-35's second engine program and pave the way for foreign sales of the F-22 fighter jet. Though...