Anthony CapaccioVerified account

Vice Admiral Paul A. Grosklags, Naval Air Systems Command, head tells HASC panel today: ``Quite honestly,'' the initial F-35 corrosion problem was a ``mistake made by the contractor during production and they should pay for that out of their bottom line, not our top line''

Top AF official tells @HASCRepublicans today only 5 F-35 deliveries have been `paused' over contract dispute w @LockheedMartin over who pays for corrosion corrections; 3 AF/1 Norway/1 Australian F-35; 14 have been accepted in `pause'

Must have been fascinating conversation.. martinis and FFRDC..https://twitter.com/HeartWarHeather/status/984532184290734080 …

HASC panel told today: Bird strikes cost USAF $30m, or $1.7m per 100k flight hours in FY17; ``We continue to address this challenge through many different efforts and have successfully reduced this rate by 50% since FY14,'' Air Force LTG Arnold W. Bunch tells panel

Mattis HASC pushes back on media/alt-right @BreitbartNews reports DoD has greased Cloud deal for Amazon: ``Despite what you have heard in the media, the contract is not a sole source contract. The initial 2-year contract will follow a fair and open competition;'' Award is Sept

Mattis tells HASC DoD in ``full court'' press to reduce F-35 sustainment costs;

Mattis says no decision has been made yet to attack Syria: attack ``not yet in the offing''

More F-35 news that's most important than hyped delivery pause: JPO just announced the 17yr development phase has officially ended after 9,200 flights, and over 17,000 Mishap-Free flight hours;

Mattis in Hasc testimony refers to a ``potential'' decision by President to Syria attack after ``absolutely inexcusable'' possible chemical attack; Mattis says main concern is keeping any attack from ``escalating out of control, if you get my drift''

Mattis in HASC text also raises the potential to buy less F-35s/more F/A-18s: ``We will evaluate the performance of both F-35s and F/A-18s to determine the most appropriate mix of aircraft as we move forward''

More important than the temporary pause in F-35 deliveries over a contract issue Mattis in HASC text says: ``The F-35 aircraft is performing well, but the contractor is not delivering the affordability that keeps solvency and security as our guideposts''

Mattis in HASC text endorses $1.2t 30-yr nuke bill: ``Our modernization estimates align with a recent Congressional Budget Office report that estimated $1.2 trillion to (1) modernize and (2) operate our nuclear deterrent forces over 30 years when combined with'' DOE costs

Those missiles Trump is tweeting about likely include Raytheon Tomahawks, Lockheed Jassm's and MBDA Storm Shadow/ SCALP cruise missiles: Trump Tells Russia to ‘Get Ready’ for Missiles Coming at Syria via @bpolitics

DoD leaders back test office over Navy in request to delay key test on most expensive warship ever built: Pentagon endorses shock-testing carrier after Navy backs down via @technology

DNI Coats tells reporters today WH has made a decision on the way ahead in Syria and will issue a statement "relatively soon"