As predicted, Lockheed Martin filed a protest on Aug. 14 with the Government Accountability Office against US Army Materiel Command for knocking the company out of the Joint Cargo Aircraft competition. The Army bumped Lockheed’s short-fuselage C-130J from the competition because it claims the aircraft doesn’t have FAA approval. Lockheed says, not so. GAO expects to render its decision by Nov. 22.
A second B-52H Stratofortress is now being modified with a upgraded radar for testing after the first test bomber crashed in June, and work is expected to be completed by the end of the year, officials said July 27.