The House on Wednesday passed the $636.3 billion defense spending bill, which includes funding for the General Electric-Rolls Royce F136 engine for the F-35 strike fighter and 10 additional C-17s airlifters—neither of which the Pentagon wanted. The Fiscal 2010 measure now must pass the full Senate before heading to the White House. The measure is $3.8 billion shy of the Administration request, but it includes $465 million to continue development and initial procurement of the so-called alternate engine for the F-35, currently powered by the Pratt & Whitney F135. The bill also has $2.5 billion to fund 10 more C-17s. (House Appropriations Committee summary)
Every year, Congress and the military debate which combat assets should head to the boneyard and which have more life left in them. Lawmakers often opt to keep Air Force systems that bring jobs to their districts, which complicates matters as the service looks to modernize and ditch certain platforms.…