Rep. Curt Weldon says his tacair panel is concerned about the buying-before-testing approach the Pentagon is taking with the Joint Strike Fighter. The panel recommends that Congress “not increase Fiscal Year 2008 production above the five aircraft planned in Fiscal Year 2007 because of the lack of testing.” That means the panel wants to cut $241 million intended to purchase 11 of the 16 F-35s the Pentagon proposed buying in 2008. Weldon calls the problem one of “excess R&D and procurement concurrency.” The issue surfaced earlier this year, when a GAO analyst testified that such approaches led to cost overruns and schedule slips.
Back from a Thanksgiving week recess, the push to pass the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act hit another snag Nov. 29, as the Senate voted against ending debate on its version of the bill. At the same time, Congress is staring down a Dec. 3 expiration date for its continuing…