Brig. Gen. Charles Davis, F-35 boss, coyly noted that his enthusiasm for the F136 engine—General Electric’s engine for the F-35—is the same as that of the Deputy Secretary of Defense. Gordon England has adamantly opposed a Congressional push to reintroduce the alternate engine into the budget.
As Air Force leaders consider concepts of operations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, sustainment in the field—and easing that support by using standard parts and limiting variants—should be a key consideration, according to a new study from AFA's Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Studies.