British defense officials are more optimistic now than they were immediately following last week’s Senate Armed Services hearings into the Joint Strike Fighter’s alternate engine program, reports Reuters news service. Subsequent to the hearings, a British embassy spokesman told the wire service, talks over touchy technology transfer issues progressed satisfactorily. Spokesman Steve Atkins said, “We are more optimistic that we can find a way through.”
The Air Force plans to conduct more intensive training—and Congress is set to help by boosting funding for exercises and so-called “campaigning” by hundreds of millions of dollars, particularly in the Pacific.
