The F-35 steering committee—the acquisition leaders for the 11 partner countries—will meet in Norway this week to wrestle with maintenance and sustainment issues, government and industry officials said. On the agenda in Oslo are the Autonomic Information Logistics System (ALIS), plans for standing up overseas depot maintenance capabilities, spare parts distribution, and engine service, as well as planning for delivery of foreign aircraft over the next couple of years. Air Force acquisition chief William LaPlante will represent USAF interests at the event.
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.
