The Pentagon’s defense acquisition board, which was to conduct a major review of the F-35 program in early October, now will not conduct the major milestone assessment until Oct. 22, at the earliest, due to the partial federal government shutdown, according to a program official. The DAB, chaired by Pentagon acquisition executive Frank Kendall, is scheduled to look at new lifecycle cost projections for the multiservice fighter, review progress on a variety of technical issues, and decide whether to give the nod for higher rates of F-35 production starting in 2015. In June, after a summit of Office of the Secretary of Defense, service, international, and contractor leaders, Kendall said he expected to approve higher rate production at the October DAB review. The meeting is also expected to bless the new lifecycle cost estimates, which are 22 percent less than the previous ones.
Congress Unveils $150B in New Defense Spending for 2025
April 28, 2025
The heads of the House and Senate Armed Services committees have unveiled a plan for $150 billion in new defense spending, as part of a massive planned package meant to advance President Donald Trump’s agenda. The proposed bill would inject several billion dollars into major Air Force priorities like nuclear modernization, aircraft…