Conferees on the 2006 defense authorization bill eliminated a House-inspired “Buy America” provision that would have barred EADS from entering its Airbus aircraft in a USAF tanker competition, according to Associated Press news service. We took note, last summer, of the move by EADS to overcome the provision when it teamed with Northrop Grumman for development and production of the KC-30 as a replacement for USAF’s KC-135. Now, it appears that will not be necessary. President Bush is expected to sign the authorization measure soon.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth vowed to undertake far-reaching reforms on the way the U.S. military buys weapons, promising a sweeping overhaul of the way the Defense Department determines requirements, handles the acquisition process, and tests its kit. The fundamental goal, which Hegseth underscored in a 1-hour and 10-minute speech…
