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.
The new defense reconciliation bill includes $7.2 billion for Air Force and Navy aviation accounts, almost half of which will buy more F-15EXs. While electronic warfare, drones, connectivity and airlift all get attention, the F-35 was conspicuously absent from the package, with no explanation given.