The F-35 is likely to have more growing pains, and as a result, Congress may slow the program down, according to Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), head of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee. Murtha on Wednesday told defense reporters in Washington, D.C., “I’m for the F-35; I’m for a big buy in the F-35, but I’m not necessarily for buying it this year, if it’s not ready.” He said the F-35 may be heading for a stall-out for technical reasons—he didn’t say what they might be—and if so, Congress may apply the brakes. “We haven’t decided it’s quite as bad” as the F-22’s avionics problems near the end of its development, “but it looks like it’s going in that direction.” He added that, even though the F-35 is a priority for the Administration, “we may not fund it at the level they would like.” Murtha said that the issue of fighter procurement is a “major problem” for Congress to deal with, since money is tight but threats are proliferating. However, he feels that adequate inventories of fighters will help prevent wars.
RTX, parent of Raytheon, Collins and Pratt & Whitney, is getting out of the space prime business and focusing on its "strengths" as a maker of space sensors, buses, and components, company COO Chris Calio said during an earnings call.