If the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is going to make low-rate initial production on time, says Lockheed Martin’s Dan Crowley, Congress must approve long-lead LRIP funding for 2006. Discussing the JSF program at the AFA conference Tuesday, Crowley said the Air Force version—the conventional take-off and landing F-35A—is slated to fly late next year. So far, the program is on schedule, making its initial “power on” milestone within the last two weeks.
The Air Force won’t finalize a new deal with Boeing for another 75 KC-46 tankers until some of the “deficiencies” with the refueler are resolved, new Vice Chief of Staff Gen. John D. Lamontagne told lawmakers March 4.