Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s approval ratings have hit a new low, according to a new Gallup Poll. The April 28-30 survey reveals that only 37 percent of Americans view Rumsfeld favorably, which is five percentage points lower than his previous rating in a poll barely four month earlier. Some 57 percent view Rumsfeld unfavorably—an increase of 12 points over a December 2005 survey.
The F-35 Joint Program Office has officially announced plans to issue multiple sole-source contracts to Pratt & Whitney to upgrade the fighter’s F135 engine—a widely expected move after Pentagon officials indicated they would do so earlier this year instead of developing an entirely new engine.