The 2007 defense authorization bill confirms Congressional desire to keep a second engine program going for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, despite Pentagon objections. The authorization act requires DOD to keep two engines in development and procurement and to provide three separate and independent cost analyses of the JSF engine program. The measure slows somewhat advance procurement, citing program delays and concern over too rapid development. (The companion spending bill funds the alternate engine and advance procurement for 12 JSFs.)
A combined Navy and Air Force program is seeking to build a smaller version of a ubiquitous air-to-air missile that could give advanced aircraft, such as the Collaborative Combat Aircraft, greater magazine depth in a high-end fight.