In a bipartisan 64 to 34 vote late Wednesday, the Senate decided to keep funding for more C-17 airlifters, trouncing an effort led by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to strip the 2010 defense spending bill of the $2.5 billion for 10 additional C-17s (see below). According to press reports (see Reuters news service report and Los Angeles Times report), McCain said he would continue his fight to end production of USAF’s newest airlifter. The Senate and House still must reconcile their two bills; the House version includes additional funding for three more C-17s. (How the Senators voted)
Due to the prolonged delay in deliveries of the Tech Refresh 3 version of the F-35 fighter, Denmark is pulling six of its TR-2-configured F-35 jets stationed in the U.S. back to home base in order to consolidate aircraft and get better training for its pilots and maintainers, the Danish…