Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who has been one of the most vocal critics of Boeing and the Air Force over the failed tanker aircraft lease arrangement and other assorted programs linked to former USAF acquisition official Darleen Druyun, now appears to have accepted an ethics-reborn Boeing. At a Senate Armed Services hearing Monday to review the Justice Department’s $615 million settlement with Boeing, McCain lauded Boeing’s decision to refrain from taking tax deductions on the settlement, saying that decision coupled with the company’s internal ethics and management changes (read Boeing head James McNerney Jr. statement) demonstrate “how serious” Boeing is in “truly reforming and starting fresh.” Still, McCain did question some of the fine points of the settlement.
Earlier this spring, the 388th Fighter Wing proved just 12 Airmen can operate an F-35 contingency location, refueling and rearming the fighters at spots across Georgia and South Carolina. The demonstration, part of exercise Agile Flag 23-1, marks yet another proof of concept for the Air Force’s plan to send…