Raytheon’s OCX, As Expected, Gets OSD Nod

Raytheon’s OCX, As Expected, Gets OSD Nod
Raytheon’s OCX, As Expected, Gets OSD Nod

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…

KC-46 Passes Milestone — Finally; Kendall OKs LRIP

KC-46 Passes Milestone — Finally; Kendall OKs LRIP
KC-46 Passes Milestone — Finally; Kendall OKs LRIP

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…

BAE Systems Inches Out In Public On Electronic Warfare

BAE Systems Inches Out In Public On Electronic Warfare
BAE Systems Inches Out In Public On Electronic Warfare

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…

Boeing Test Pilots Show Off P-8 Poseidon

Boeing Test Pilots Show Off P-8 Poseidon
Boeing Test Pilots Show Off P-8 Poseidon

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…

UK Defense Minister Survives New PM’s Clean Sweep; UK Sole Source Deals Criticized

UK Defense Minister Survives New PM’s Clean Sweep; UK Sole Source Deals Criticized
UK Defense Minister Survives New PM’s Clean Sweep; UK Sole Source Deals Criticized

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…

Acrobatics, Big Planes (A380 & A400M) & Little Planes (Gripen & Starduster)

Acrobatics, Big Planes (A380 & A400M) & Little Planes (Gripen & Starduster)
Acrobatics, Big Planes (A380 & A400M) & Little Planes (Gripen & Starduster)

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!

Farnborough Day 3: No DepSecDef, No Rain Yet…

Farnborough Day 3: No DepSecDef, No Rain Yet…
Farnborough Day 3: No DepSecDef, No Rain Yet…

F-35B Hovers, Finally, At Farnborough; Lots More Planes!

F-35B Hovers, Finally, At Farnborough; Lots More Planes!
F-35B Hovers, Finally, At Farnborough; Lots More Planes!

Video of the F-35B hovering at the Farnborough airshow for the first time.

Raytheon Unveils Its Next Gen Air Force Trainer

Raytheon Unveils Its Next Gen Air Force Trainer
Raytheon Unveils Its Next Gen Air Force Trainer

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…

Boeing, UK Ink Big P-8 And Apache Deals For $5B

Boeing, UK Ink Big P-8 And Apache Deals For $5B
Boeing, UK Ink Big P-8 And Apache Deals For $5B

 

Farnborough Begins With F-35 Seemingly Everywhere

Farnborough Begins With F-35 Seemingly Everywhere
Farnborough Begins With F-35 Seemingly Everywhere

Stackley: Navy Is Fully Committed To F-35C

Stackley: Navy Is Fully Committed To F-35C
Stackley: Navy Is Fully Committed To F-35C

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…

Torrential Downpour Closes Farnborough

Torrential Downpour Closes Farnborough
Torrential Downpour Closes Farnborough

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…

Lockheed Trumpets $4B More In F-35 Cost Savings

Lockheed Trumpets $4B More In F-35 Cost Savings
Lockheed Trumpets $4B More In F-35 Cost Savings

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…