Henrico Times

Congressman Rob Wittman (R-VA) led a subcommittee hearing focusing on the fiscal year 2025 budget request for the Department of Defense's fixed-wing tactical and training aircraft programs. Wittman expressed concerns about the lack of clarity in defining the tactical fighter force structure and capabilities, emphasizing the need for affordable replacement aircraft and expedited deployment of TR-3 hardware and Block 4 software.

During the hearing, various officials from the Department of Defense provided testimony, addressing the challenges and uncertainties surrounding aircraft procurement quantities, especially in the F-35 program.

In discussing the modernization efforts, Chairman Wittman highlighted the importance of retiring older capabilities and bringing online newer ones, stressing the need for timely execution. Lt. Gen. Schmidt acknowledged the need for improved development efforts and industry collaboration to overcome existing challenges.

Wittman commended Lockheed for their commitment to enhancing development processes but underscored the importance of effective execution moving forward. He raised questions about the operational readiness of the TR-3 configured aircraft and the timeline for achieving combat capability, to which Lt. Gen. Schmidt noted certain capabilities may take 12 to 16 months to fully implement.

The discussion also touched on the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program and its role in complementing the Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) system. Mr. Hunter highlighted the potential for CCA to enhance NGAD's capabilities and capacity, emphasizing the shared architecture and industry partnerships between the two programs.

Overall, the hearing shed light on the challenges and opportunities facing the Department of Defense's fixed-wing tactical and training aircraft programs, underscoring the importance of clear direction, efficient modernization efforts, and industry collaboration to meet evolving national security needs.