The Army will cut its manned aerial intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance fleet by more than half and will focus its efforts on modernizing its existing platforms and sensors rather than procuring new systems as part of its aerial ISR strategy for 2020, according to a report the service sent to Congress on April 17.

As Congress mulls a multiyear contract for the C-130J aircraft, Lockheed Martin is making its case to lawmakers for the savings associated with that procurement approach in comparison to annual contracts for the aircraft.

The Pentagon is asking Congress to repeal legislation that requires the Air Force to maintain at least 74 retired KC-135E Stratotankers in case they are needed for Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard or active duty -- a revival the Defense Department argues could cost as much as $5.5 billion.

Concerned about the aging avionics on the B-2 stealth bomber, Air Force and industry officials have put in place a "robust" obsolescence management program to maintain the interior of that aircraft going forward.

F-35 prime contractor Lockheed Martin expects to have a better understanding of how realistic it will be to deliver full capability for the Joint Strike Fighter's most advanced software block on time around the end of this year, according to a company executive.

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program officials want permission from Congress to accelerate the development of multimillion-dollar testing upgrades to better assess the aircraft's vital electronic warfare capabilities and mitigate the risk of costly software delays, according to documents and officials.

A fix for a longstanding Joint Strike Fighter deficiency related to lightning protection should be installed on all future F-35 aircraft beginning with the seventh lot of low-rate production, according to a Lockheed Martin executive.

The debate over the cost and feasibility of converting a commercial off-the-shelf helicopter into a combat-ready aircraft has been renewed as industry pitches offerings to replace the Army's OH-58 Kiowa Warrior.

In its eagerness to declare initial operational capability on the F-35B by the middle of 2015, the Marine Corps has accepted the risk of going to war with a helmet that will, for a time, include a night-vision camera that is less capable than today's night-vision goggles.

The Joint Strike Fighter program has seen Australia, Norway and the Netherlands take some positive steps over the last several weeks, and within two years all F-35 international partners will sign acquisition contracts to purchase their first wave of aircraft, according to a joint program office representative.

A recently completed testing session dedicated to understanding deficiencies on the Joint Strike Fighter's next-generation helmet has led program officials to believe that only the helmet's lack of night-vision acuity requires a major modification, and a plan is in place to start flight testing a better night-vision camera on the helmet this fall.

The Air Force is debating whether to adjust its modification plans for the U-2 spy plane in order to pay for some of its other operational needs.

The Air Force's top military officer is blaming a Finmeccanica subsidiary company for the slow deterioration of a pertinent Afghan military program that is comprised of a fleet of 20 turboprop aircraft.

As part of its commitments related to the New START treaty with Russia, the Air Force expects to finish eliminating a set of retired B-52Gs stored in Arizona by the end of the year, according to a service official.

The Air Force expects to save $10 million by awarding BAE Systems a $34 million contract to upgrade the F-16's Mode 5 Advanced Identification Friend or Foe system, work that has traditionally been funneled through original equipment manufacturer Lockheed Martin.

The Air Force this month plans to seek permission to advance a new package of F-22A upgrades through a major acquisition milestone, a project that represents a crowning effort in a decade-old endeavor to incrementally realize the combat potential of the military's marquee stealth fighter.

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program faces the risk of "several-month delays" in software development that could add pressure to the schedule for building, testing and buying fully capable aircraft, the Defense Department warns in a report to Congress.

A new Pentagon report sent to Congress today provides the most detailed government account of capabilities China is developing to thwart U.S. forces -- so-called anti-access, area-denial weapon systems that include two stealth fighter aircraft programs, an unmanned combat air vehicle, anti-satellite capabilities, a ballistic missile defense "umbrella" and cyberwarfare.

The Navy is looking at potential sources that can deliver systems capable of performing the Navy's carrier on-board delivery (COD) mission in support of the carrier strike group in the 2026 time frame, according to a request for information issued by Naval Air Systems Command late last week.

At least two contractors -- Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin -- want another chance to build future Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System aircraft for the Army, submitting a response to the service's sources-sought notice issued in March.