Blame the Navy: 
Sen. John Warner (R-Va.) says he is very concerned about the Pentagon decision to terminate the alternate engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The Chairman of the Armed Services Committee told the Air Force’s top two leaders on Thursday that he and ranking member Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) have asked for a special hearing on the subject. The committee needs to have a “better understanding” of how the decision originated and what consultation took place, maintained Warner. In response, Air Force Secretary Michel Wynne noted the increased “reliability” of modern engines, but, he added, that it was a Navy idea to which the Air Force “did not object.”
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
