Three appellate court judges in the District of Columbia began hearing arguments this week in the dispute between DOD and the American Federation of Government Employees over the labor relations portion of the National Security Personnel System. An earlier decision sided with the union and so did Congress when it prohibited DOD from using 2007 funds to cover NSPS labor relations actions, pending the appeal verdict—which could be a long time coming.
Research and development spending on the Air Force’s sixth-generation F-47 fighter and its advanced propulsion system is expected to peak in 2028 before dropping in the following years, according to Air Force budget documents.