The Air Force will be spending some of its $34 billion in planned overhead savings on buying an extra 16 simulators for its fleet of F-35A strike fighters, said Secretary Michael Donley. He said the service expects to conduct fully 50 percent of F-35 pilot training in simulators. Among the benefits, this shift away from real-world flying will help generate savings in fuel costs and, presumably, sustainment, he said during his Air Force Association-sponsored presentation Wednesday in Arlington, Va.
The Air Force awarded matching $17.7 million contracts to Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for the first part of a program to design an "Off Board Sensing Station," which would be an escort to extend the sensor reach of combat aircraft and carry extra munitions for…