Heeding a review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, President George Bush has decided to allow the acquisition of Ross Catherall US Holdings Inc. by Dubai Holding LLC to move forward. On April 28, the President submitted a classified report to Congress detailing his decision. A White House press statement says, the committee “specifically considered” that Catherall, which is a subsidiary of the British firm Doncasters Group Ltd., is “a single source supplier of turbine engine blades” for US military aircraft. Rep. John Barrow (D-Ga.), whose district includes a plant that produces components for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, in particular has voiced skepticism on the deal.
The six-week government shutdown did not affect the hours flown by Air Force pilots, a service spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine—avoiding what could have been a major blow at a time when flying hours are already lower than they have been in decades.
