Just in, we have a transcript of the June 12 press teleconference with Pentagon acquisition chief Frank Kendall at the conclusion of the annual F-35 CEO Conference, which brings together the Joint Strike Fighter acquisition and operations leadership from the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Defense Department, and partner countries. Kendall gave an update on the F-35’s progress and what he thinks are its strengths and what issues persist. Also participating were program manager Lt. Gen. Christopher Bogdan, Navy acquisition executive Sean Stackley, Air Force acquisition chief William LaPlante, and others.
A new report from the Government Accountability Office calls for the Pentagon’s Chief Technology Officer to have budget certification authority over the military services’ research and development accounts—a move the services say would add a burdensome and unnecessary layer of bureaucracy.
