Behind the JCA Scenes:

One area of contention between the Air Force and Army approach to procurement of a Joint Cargo Aircraft is a desire to ensure combat sustainability—for USAF that means acquiring technical data rights to whatever aircraft the services decide to buy, Gen. Bruce Carlson told defense reporters in Washington last week. The AFMC leader said it is his job to ensure the Air Force retains the option to maintain the JCA should it become necessary. Carlson asserted, “My job is to deliver and sustain warfighting systems … and if I have to depend on a contractor that goes broke and the second source is some foreign country, I’ve got to be ready for that contingency.” He said that he is trying “very hard” to make sure those provisions get in the contract language, however, he conceded there are “complex negotiations” ongoing to communicate the Air Force’s distinct needs. He believes the Air Force has an agreement to add the tech data specs, but the proposals are going to have to be amended. He emphasized, “If you wait three years from now it will be a lot tougher.”