The House on Wednesday passed the $636.3 billion defense spending bill, which includes funding for the General Electric-Rolls Royce F136 engine for the F-35 strike fighter and 10 additional C-17s airlifters—neither of which the Pentagon wanted. The Fiscal 2010 measure now must pass the full Senate before heading to the White House. The measure is $3.8 billion shy of the Administration request, but it includes $465 million to continue development and initial procurement of the so-called alternate engine for the F-35, currently powered by the Pratt & Whitney F135. The bill also has $2.5 billion to fund 10 more C-17s. (House Appropriations Committee summary)
Anduril and General Atomics will develop their Collaborative Combat Aircraft for the Air Force, beating out Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, the service announced on April 24. But any of the non-selected companies can compete to actually manufacture the eventual design, the Air Force said.