Italy Signs Up for JSF: Italy has signed the Joint Strike Fighter memorandum of understanding to proceed with the next phase of the program, according to a Defense Department release. The MOU covers production, sustainment, and follow-on development. Norway was the most recent to sign a similar MOU, and the Pentagon has reached agreements with Australia, Britain, Canada, the Netherlands, and Turkey. Denmark is expected to sign the MOU by the end of February.
Congress wants new engines in the F-35 fleet, with installs starting in 2027, according to language in the conference version of the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act. The Air Force is to use at least one of the engines developed under the Advanced Engine Transition Program, but the Navy and…