An item in Jan. 16’s Daily Report stated the Air Force was losing two F-35s as part of the Fiscal 2014 omnibus budget. The omnibus cuts two F-35As and one F-35C from advanced procurement funds, which are funds specifically requested to procure long lead items to support Fiscal 2015 buys. The budget reduction means the F-35 program cannot initiate long lead purchases for more than 28 F-35As in Fiscal 2015, F-35 Joint Program Office spokesman Joe DellaVedova told the Daily Report. “We foresee little impact on the overall program,” he noted, adding the total procurement number of 2,443 aircraft remains unchanged.
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.