Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is back in action, lambasting the Air Force for obfuscating the C-130J program and slow-rolling Congressional demands for more information. The Air Force apparently has not moved fast enough to convert the C-130J commercial contract to a standard military procurement arrangement. (It has just signed a draft agreement with Lockheed Martin.) Former acting Air Force Secretary Michael Dominguez, at his confirmation hearing Wednesday for a top DOD personnel job, got the brunt of McCain’s wrath. McCain threatened to hold up the Dominguez nomination until the matter is “completely resolved.”
The Air Force has embraced new technical approaches like open mission systems and rapid software updates for cutting-edge aircraft like the B-21 and Collaborative Combat Aircraft. Increasingly, though, the service is also working to apply these to its older, “legacy” aircraft, officials said this week.