The plan to merge the two launch services of Lockheed Martin and Boeing may have hit a snag. Although the Air Force initially signaled its approval, expecting to reap savings in launching national security payloads, service officials have joined with the Federal Trade Commission in seeking specifics on anticipated savings. When the companies paired up to present the United Launch Alliance venture in May, they predicted savings of up to $150 million a year. Now regulators conducting an atitrust investigation want to see how they arrived at the number.
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.
