Lawmakers on the Senate Armed Services air-land panel want to put all funds for the Joint Cargo Aircraft—the Army-Air Force program to purchase a new small intratheater transport—into the Air Force budget line, reports Roxana Tiron of The Hill. There’s no indication yet whether the full committee agrees with this move, however it would seem in line with the House Armed Services Committee push for a roles and missions review to eliminate duplication and put capabilities with their core competency owner. However, House authorizers want to hold off on JCA funding until DOD completes an intratheater analysis.
The six-week government shutdown did not affect the hours flown by Air Force pilots, a service spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine—avoiding what could have been a major blow at a time when flying hours are already lower than they have been in decades.
