The Air Force needs to revitalize its industrial preparedness program, retired Lt. Gen. Richard Scofield said at the AFA conference. The process came into being in 1947 and has helped introduce new manufacturing methods and streamline acquisition, according to the former program director for the F-117 stealth fighter and B-2 stealth bomber. “IPP has enabled the Air Force to deliver more bang for the buck with an average return on investment of $5 to $10 for every dollar spent,” he said. The program fell by the wayside for a host of reasons, explained Scofield. He cited the merger of Air Force Systems Command and Air Force Logistics Command and consolidation within the defense industry as two chief reasons.
A new report by the Defense Department’s Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation found that Texas and Virginia are America’s top recipients of defense spending, some $83 billion and $64.3 billion, respectively. Texas and California top the spending categories for Air Force contracts and personnel, some $17 billion and $15…