Aircraft

As Lockheed Martin works to replace Turkish suppliers on the F-35 program, the company's associated risk is covered by the U.S. government, according to the contractor's chief executive.

The Air Force plans to conduct a system requirements review of Boeing's fix to the KC-46 remote vision system in November and begin testing the upgraded system within the next six weeks, a service spokesman told Inside Defense this week.

The head of Air Force Air Combat Command told reporters recently that the Air Force's plan to apply a "Century Series" concept to the Next-Generation Air Dominance program is not a change of course, but instead aligns well with studies the service has been conducting over the last few years.

F-35 prime contractor Lockheed Martin is proposing a sweeping five-year sustainment contract it hopes will set the stage for a future multiyear deal.

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD -- The Air Force is in the final stages of completing an acquisition strategy for the F-15EX, and is mapping out options for future capability upgrades, the program executive officer for fighters and bombers told Inside Defense today.

Senate appropriators want more details about the Air Force's F-15EX procurement plan, including its reasoning for pursuing a sole-source buy of Boeing-made jets.

A Senate panel today marked up its version of the fiscal year 2020 defense spending bill in accordance with a bipartisan budget deal, appropriating $622 billion in base spending, $70.7 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations and $1.7 billion in emergency funding.

The head of Air Combat Command told reporters this week he has been meeting regularly with congressional staffers during recess to discuss the Air Force's plans for the Next-Generation Air Dominance program and lawmakers' proposed $500 million cut to its fiscal year 2020 funding request.

This month, the Air Force began limited flight operations to support airfield assessments at Air Base 201 in Niger, where the service is building infrastructure, including a runway, to support regional counterterrorism missions.