WASHINGTON: There was little doubt that the hack- and jam-proof GPS ground stations known as OCX would be resurrected after incurring a Nunn-McCurdy breach. Even though it was the most screwed up program in the Air Force, was behind schedule and had gone grossly over budget, OCX is a crucial program at an important time. America needs…
By Colin ClarkMILSATCOM for the most critical no-fail missions
With multiple nuclear-capable threats and space itself being a contested domain, assured and protected MILSATCOM are more critical than ever before.
WASHINGTON: After more than a decade of missteps by the Pentagon, the Air Force and Boeing, the airborne tanker program today took a major step forward as the KC-46 passed Milestone C. “The KC-46 is ready to take the next step,” Gen. Dave Goldfein, Air Force Chief of Staff, says in a statement announcing the approval…
By Colin Clark
FARNBOROUGH: For much of the last few years when one thought of electronic warfare, one tended to think of Raytheon. After all, they’re building the Next Generation Jammer, right? BAE Systems would like to change that and is beginning to take a guarded but more public stance. For years, Air Force officials have declined to…
By Colin Clark
As pretty much everyone reported at the Farnborough Air Show, Britain — which had waffled considerably over last few months — finally made a firm commitment to buy Boeing’s P-8 Poseidon to keep an eye on Russian submarines. We don’t usually run videos such as these, but this one is pretty interesting. Britain first made the commitment…
By Colin Clark
LONDON: Sen. John McCain would be howling if 49 percent of Pentagon contracts were not competed — especially if that had been true for more than nine years. How would McCain and his colleagues react if a company awarded a sole source deal charged the government $34,000 for a charitable donation or for “staff welfare?” One can only…
By Colin Clark
The F-35B isn’t flying again til Friday so you won’t see it here. Today was the first day of halfway decent weather at the biennial air show so we’ve got some pretty lovely flying and perspectives here. Enjoy!
By Colin Clark
The Weekly Break Out web news show
Coming in 2025! The Washington Monument is an iconic part of Washington. There’s something else monumental coming to defense in DC in 2025.
Video of the F-35B hovering at the Farnborough airshow for the first time.
By Colin Clark
FARNBOROUGH: For the first time at an air show, Raytheon has presented its offering for the replacement of the T-38 trainer here, the T-100. Thanks to the buckets of rain that keep falling we can’t offer you a photo, but we can tell you the plane is here. We understand the company is likely to make…
By Colin Clark
FARNBOROUGH: The US Navy has wobbled in its commitment to buy the F-35C over much of the last five years, though the service has increasingly spoken warmly of the aircraft’s capabilities, especially after its first and flawless landings on the USS Nimitz. So I asked Sean Stackley, assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and…
By Colin Clark
FARNBOROUGH: England is notorious for rain, but this is ridiculous. After tremendous rains far too heavy for furled black umbrellas, stiff upper lips, or for that matter safe operation of electrical systems — perhaps a divine retribution for Brexit? — UK authorities decided to close the massive Farnborough airshow for the remainder of the day. We’ll…
By Colin Clark and Sydney J. Freedberg Jr.
CORRECTED: Fixes CEO Marillyn Hewson’s name. Sigh… FARNBOROUGH: A pair of cost initiatives by Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems and the Pentagon should save up to $4 billion over the life of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, officials said here today. Frank Kendall, the head Pentagon buyer, the F-35 Joint Program Office, and…
By Colin Clark
