House Armed Services Chairman Duncan Hunter berated the lack of stability in major acquisition programs, saying Wednesday that the “DOD budget legacy is one of missed procurement opportunities.” He called budget decisions made on the F-22A, the Joint Strike Fighter alternate engine, and others over the last few years “difficult to understand.” His bottom line: “Frequent changes in acquisition programs lead to increased program costs, and in the end, result in fewer platforms being fielded.”
President Donald Trump’s nominee for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff touted his highly unusual background for the job as an asset and reaffirmed his commitment to stay apolitical during a confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on April 1.