British defense officials are more optimistic now than they were immediately following last week’s Senate Armed Services hearings into the Joint Strike Fighter’s alternate engine program, reports Reuters news service. Subsequent to the hearings, a British embassy spokesman told the wire service, talks over touchy technology transfer issues progressed satisfactorily. Spokesman Steve Atkins said, “We are more optimistic that we can find a way through.”
A legislative standoff has led to a lapse in a $4.26 billion small business innovation contracting program widely used by the Air Force and could spell the end of it entirely, industry sources warned Air & Space Forces Magazine.


