Five Lockheed Martin programs were mentioned in Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ roundup of major program moves (see above) for the Fiscal 2010 budget—the VH-71 Presidential helicopter, the F-22, F-35, Littoral Combat System, and Transformational Satellite (still in competition with Boeing)—and the news was not generally good. Asked to comment, the company said it’s “assessing the impact of [Gates’] decisions on all affected programs. As we move forward with the budget process, Lockheed Martin will continue to support our customers and work to deliver affordable solutions that meet their strategic and operational needs.”
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.