The Engine That Would Not Go Quietly: General Electric and Rolls Royce continue to push to reverse the Pentagon plan to cancel the alternate F-35 Joint Strike Fighter engine. They and critics who fear downsizing to a single engine producer poses too much risk are working Capitol Hill. The political newspaper, The Hill, reports that a number of lawmakers plan “to grill” Pentagon officials over the decision. And, the list of Senators who have expressed concern now includes Sen. John Warner (R-Va.), powerful chairman of the Armed Services Committee.
A provision in the fiscal 2025 defense policy bill will require the Defense Department to include the military occupational specialty of service members who die by suicide in its annual report on suicide deaths, though it remains to be seen how much data the department will actually disclose.