The plan to “concurrently test and produce” the Joint Strike Fighter does not sit well with the Government Accountability Office. In recent testimony before the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, Michael Sullivan, GAO’s director of acquisition and sourcing management, claims that similar development strategies on other programs have led to cost overruns and delays. He says it’s a case of lack of maturity in program designs, something that only comes through extensive testing. In response to questions, Sullivan asserted simply, “We think that they should fly before they buy.”
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
