Northrop Grumman fired off a response to the Government Accountability Office for its recent criticism of the Global Hawk acquisition program, saying the company will work closely with the Air Force to keep the high-flying unmanned aerial vehicle on cost and schedule. The Los Angeles Daily News reported on the Northrop statement, which naturally refers to the “outstanding performance” of the high-flying UAV, which the Air Force sent off to war still in its development stage. Northrop also notes that it initiated production even as it was still in development and test at the behest of the Pentagon.
The U.S. Air Force is working on a test program with Japan to establish a joint maintenance center that will perform repairs on aircraft operated by both nations—creating a “deterrent effect that will make adversaries think twice,” a top general said.