Rep. Curt Weldon says the cancellation of the Joint Strike Fighter alternate engine is one of the two “most significant issues”—the other is the F-22’s new procurement plan—facing the House Armed Services TacAir subcommittee this year. In Weldon’s view, the decision to “sole source an estimated 5,000 to 6,000 JSF engines” defies logic. He noted that the competition for just 1,800 F-15 and F-16 engines delivered a “21 percent savings in life cycle costs” and maintained that it is “intuitive” that a much larger program would return at least similar savings, as well as potential engine performance increases. Weldon maintained that the decision may “look like the right one” over the “short term” but could cost more over the life of the program.
Unit commanders are being told to separate service members who can’t shave their cheeks and chin for medical reasons for more than a year, according to new guidance from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
