At least three news reports now say the second Joint Strike Fighter engine program—the one under contract to the General Electric-Rolls Royce team—is doomed. One by Reuters news service quotes knowledgeable defense analyst Loren Thompson, who says flatly that the Pentagon “killed the alternative engine.” That may put paid to the optimism expressed by Rolls Royce last month. Of course, the final Pentagon word won’t come until the planned early February simultaneous release of the QDR and the 2007 defense budget proposal.
Earlier this spring, the 388th Fighter Wing proved just 12 Airmen can operate an F-35 contingency location, refueling and rearming the fighters at spots across Georgia and South Carolina. The demonstration, part of exercise Agile Flag 23-1, marks yet another proof of concept for the Air Force’s plan to send…