The House on Wednesday passed the $636.3 billion defense spending bill, which includes funding for the General Electric-Rolls Royce F136 engine for the F-35 strike fighter and 10 additional C-17s airlifters—neither of which the Pentagon wanted. The Fiscal 2010 measure now must pass the full Senate before heading to the White House. The measure is $3.8 billion shy of the Administration request, but it includes $465 million to continue development and initial procurement of the so-called alternate engine for the F-35, currently powered by the Pratt & Whitney F135. The bill also has $2.5 billion to fund 10 more C-17s. (House Appropriations Committee summary)
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
