Five Lockheed Martin programs were mentioned in Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ roundup of major program moves (see above) for the Fiscal 2010 budget—the VH-71 Presidential helicopter, the F-22, F-35, Littoral Combat System, and Transformational Satellite (still in competition with Boeing)—and the news was not generally good. Asked to comment, the company said it’s “assessing the impact of [Gates’] decisions on all affected programs. As we move forward with the budget process, Lockheed Martin will continue to support our customers and work to deliver affordable solutions that meet their strategic and operational needs.”
The Pentagon announced its latest drawdown package for Ukraine, valued at $1 billion and mainly comprising of munitions for key systems. But any decision on whether to provide the Ukrainian Air Force with Western combat jets is still to be made, a key Defense Department official told reporters—and it could…