Air Force Materiel Command has begun an effort to make its test & evaluation process—a major mission in a weapon system’s development and procurement—more efficient and, hopefully, more economical. At the end of August, a group of 31 from AFMC and the Air Staff took part in what the service calls a rapid improvement event. Their goal was to outline an early tester involvement process that they believe would help “deliver effective and suitable weapon systems on time and on cost,” said David Jerome, deputy director of AFMC’s air, space, and information operations. Problems testers face include inefficient test design, late defect discoveries, and incomplete developmental testing. Solutions proposed include making testers part of source selection teams to “capture all requirements to plan and execute tests;” identifying an early point in the program to establish an integrated test team; and educating stakeholders (system operators and procurers) about the importance of early T&E planning. It all sounds simple enough.
F-35 Contracts Slip in Delay Unrelated to Radar Woes
June 7, 2025
Funding to build the next two batches of F-35 fighters, originally expected to be finalized by the end of June, won’t be awarded to Lockheed Martin until sometime this summer, the jet's Joint Program Office told Air & Space Forces Magazine.