House and Senate conferees working on the 2007 defense authorization bill have agreed to include money for the Army-Air Force Joint Cargo Aircraft program, reports the Congressional newspaper The Hill. The Senate had voted to cut the funds, sparking dismay within the Army, which says it needs the aircraft sooner than does the Air Force. The funds were cut from the Army accounts, but sources told The Hill that conferees had put JCA dollars in the Air Force line. However, nothing is final yet.
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…
