With the current fiscal year already more than half over, Congress on Thursday was finally able to approve a spending bill to cover government operations for Fiscal 2011, sending the legislation to President Obama’s desk for signature. Included in the appropriations legislation is $513 billion to fund the Pentagon’s base operations, a $5 billion increase over the enacted Fiscal 2010 level, but still far shy of the $540 billion that Defense Secretary Robert Gates has warned was necessary to avoid serious disruption to Pentagon operations. For the Air Force, an enacted bill would remove current restrictions on much-needed activities like starting new military construction projects and ramping up production of MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft from 24 to 48. Such activities have been barred so far this fiscal year while the Pentagon has operated under continuing resolutions. Among the notable defense highlights, the spending bill does not include funding for the F136, the F-35 strike fighter’s competing engine, that Gates wants Congress to let die once and for all. (See The Hill report)
General Atomics, the maker of one of the Air Force’s first Collaborative Combat Aircraft, has ambitious plans for its family of semi-autonomous drones beyond the FQ-42, including a flying-wing aircraft capable of carrying out both reconnaissance and strike missions. Meanwhile, the Air Force Research Laboratory announced a new program to…