Defense Secretary Robert Gates, noting the “huge investment” already made, reaffirmed his strong commitment to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program during his visit Monday to Lockheed Martin’s F-35 assembly plant in Fort Worth, Tex. “It is the heart of the future of tactical combat aviation for our services. So the importance of this program can hardly be overstated,” he told reporters after his site tour. Overall, Gates said he was “very impressed” by what he saw during his visit in terms of the robotics and automation on the F-35 assembly line and, perhaps most especially, the dedication of its workforce. He added that he is “excited” about the program since it appears to have surmounted the high-risk elements associated with its development. Continue
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said he'd be “comfortable’ with the service taking over the air base defense mission from the Army, provided it was given the resources and manpower to do so. The Army has been slow to devote the resources and attention needed to matching the Air Force’s…