DefenseNews

UAE could get up to 50 F-35s in $10B sale

October 31, 2020
WASHINGTON — The U.S. State Department is backing the sale of as many as 50 F-35 joint strike fighters to the United Arab Emirates in an arms deal worth an estimated $10.4 billion, according to multiple reports. The news came as the Trump administration informally briefed Congress on its plan to sell the advanced F-35 fighter to the United Arab Emirates Thursday. It follows weeks of…
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DefenseNews

Amid Emirati F-35 talks, Trump administration still ‘committed’ to congressional arms sale reviews

October 31, 2020
WASHINGTON ― Amid reports the Trump administration is fast-tracking sales of the high-tech F-35 warplane to the United Arab Emirates, the State Department remains committed to consulting Congress on arms sales to foreign governments, a senior administration official said Wednesday. The comments from Assistant Secretary Bureau of Political-Military Affairs R. Clarke Cooper seemed to signal the…
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DefenseNews

F-35 to move into full-rate production later than expected

October 29, 2020
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon will have to put off moving the F-35 program to full-rate production due to another delay in starting critical simulation tests. Before the Defense Department’s top weapons buyer, Ellen Lord, can clear the F-35 for full-rate production, the…
DefenseNews

Raytheon laying off 20,000 amid commercial aviation slide

October 29, 2020
WASHINGTON ― Raytheon Technologies is cutting 15,000 staff and 4,000 contractor positions, largely at the company’s Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace divisions, due to decreased commercial aerospace sales from COVID-19 pandemic, CEO Greg Hayes said Tuesday on the company’s earnings call. The Waltham, Mass., aerospace giant is the latest company to announce losses since the…
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DefenseNews

US Army gets first Infantry Squad Vehicle from GM Defense

October 29, 2020
WASHINGTON — GM Defense delivered its first Infantry Squad Vehicle to the U.S. Army in an Oct. 27 ceremony at its proving grounds and production facility in Milford, Michigan, just 120 days after being chosen to build the new troop carrier. The Army awarded the company…
DefenseNews

Lawmakers take steps to slow down sale of F-35s to UAE

October 29, 2020
WASHINGTON— Two Senate Democrats are hoping to delay the potential sale of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to the United Arab Emirates, introducing on Oct. 20 legislation that would block the delivery of aircraft to Abu Dhabi unless the U.S. government meets certain…
DefenseNews

European nations should shape their air-combat fleets to support the F-35, US analysts say

October 29, 2020
COLOGNE, Germany — European NATO nations without the fifth-generation F-35 combat jet should mold their fleets to complement the U.S.-developed aircraft in future operations, according to a new report commissioned by U.S. European Command. The analysis, done by the think tank Rand and published Oct. 22, ascribes such a vital advantage to the F-35′s stealth and sensor-fusion features that…
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