An item in Jan. 16’s Daily Report stated the Air Force was losing two F-35s as part of the Fiscal 2014 omnibus budget. The omnibus cuts two F-35As and one F-35C from advanced procurement funds, which are funds specifically requested to procure long lead items to support Fiscal 2015 buys. The budget reduction means the F-35 program cannot initiate long lead purchases for more than 28 F-35As in Fiscal 2015, F-35 Joint Program Office spokesman Joe DellaVedova told the Daily Report. “We foresee little impact on the overall program,” he noted, adding the total procurement number of 2,443 aircraft remains unchanged.
The Air Force and Boeing agreed to a nearly $2.4 billion contract for a new lot of KC-46 aerial tankers on Nov. 21. The deal, announced by the Pentagon, is for 15 new aircraft in Lot 11 at a cost of $2.389 billion—some $159 million per tail.