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Pentagon Acquisition

Lockheed Martin pitches F-35 upgrade as stopgap to next-gen fighters

Lockheed Martin pitches F-35 upgrade as stopgap to next-gen fighters

Speaking on Lockheed Martin’s 2025 Q2 earnings call, CEO Jim Taiclet predicted that an advanced F-35 upgrade package could deliver “80 percent of [Next Generation Air Dominance] capability at 50 percent of the price.” Leveraging stealth, sensors, and propulsion technologies developed for NGAD—which Lockheed lost to Boeing earlier

Pentagon contractors’ repair restrictions waste billions while compromising military readiness

Pentagon contractors’ repair restrictions waste billions while compromising military readiness

The US military’s readiness has been hampered for years by Pentagon contractors’ restricting who can repair key equipment. Service members, from sailors on the troubled Littoral Combat to Air Force F-35 mechanics, repeatedly face red tape that prevents them from fixing vital systems, instead forcing them to wait weeks

Masiello takes charge of F-35 amid upgrades, delays, and Congressional scrutiny

Masiello takes charge of F-35 amid upgrades, delays, and Congressional scrutiny

Marine Lt. Gen. Gregory L. Masiello assumed leadership of the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) on 17 July 2025, taking charge at a time when America's most advanced fighter faces both technological transition and intense scrutiny from Congress and the Pentagon, as reported by Air & Space Forces

POGO urges overhaul of Nunn-McCurdy Act to rein in defense cost overruns

POGO urges overhaul of Nunn-McCurdy Act to rein in defense cost overruns

The Nunn-McCurdy Act, passed in 1982 to curb runaway costs in DOD weapon acquisitions, requires Congress be notified when major programs exceed budget estimates by significant margins. Yet, decades later, the Project on Government Oversight (POGO) points to persistent failures in cost containment, with critical breaches rarely leading to real

Lockheed Martin declares F-35 TR-3 upgrade ready, awaits Pentagon green light

Lockheed Martin declares F-35 TR-3 upgrade ready, awaits Pentagon green light

Lockheed Martin announced at the Paris Air Show that its long-delayed Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) upgrade for the F-35 fighter jet is ready, marking a significant milestone for the Pentagon’s costliest defense program. However, final government approval remains pending before full deployment, according to Defense One. JR McDonald, Lockheed’