Making good on a pledge made earlier this year, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), House Armed Services Committee chairman, on Wednesday kicked off planning for a committee version of the Quadrennial Defense Review. Panel spokesman Josh Holly said committee members gathered to discuss their plan of attack for an alternative force structure review following a scheduled session to hear testimony from outside witnesses on the Pentagon’s current QDR. According to Holly, no timelines were set, but the committee could begin its review later this month. He said, “It’s in the early stages of the process.” The committee would expect to produce its report just after the Pentagon presents its QDR in February.
The KC-Z4, a blended wing body tanker concept being developed by startup JetZero, could fuel larger groups of aircraft at longer range to hold more targets at risk, company officials say.