Northrop officials rolled out the numbers Monday, saying that initially about 52 percent of its tanker competitor—the KC-30—would be built in the US. The percentage could go up to perhaps 60 percent as production unfolds. Most of the rest of the work would be done at plants in Britain, Germany, and Spain. Northrop would act as integrator, while EADS would produce the aircraft, mainly at the new facility it plans to build in Mobile, Ala.
The use of a military counter-drone laser on the southwest border this week—which prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to abruptly close the airspace over El Paso, Texas—will be a “case study” on the complex web of authorities needed to employ such weapons near civilian areas and the consequences of agencies…
