Senior officials at the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force have informed House Armed Services Committee members of the service branches’ programs to buy combat aircraft and weapons systems, DoD News reported Friday.
Vice Adm. Paul Grosklags, commander of Naval Air Systems Command, said at an HASC hearing Friday the Marine Corps’ aviation priorities cover F-35 and CH-53K production and H-1 modernization, F/A-18 maintenance and unmanned expeditionary platform development efforts.
Grosklags added the Navy aims to extend the service life of its Hornet fleet, build an MQ-25 unmanned air system and procure updated F-18 Block III systems and MQ-4C unmanned aerial vehicles as well as F-35, E-2, P-8 and CMV-22 aircraft.
Lt. Gen. Arnold Bunch, military deputy for the Air Force’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, told committee members at the meeting the military service will continue to invest money to produce, sustain and modernize F-35s; develop the B-21Â bomber and increase the power projection capacity of KC-46 tankers.