B-2, HAWK FUNDS OK'D HOUSE, SENATE BACK BUSH.Byline: Jim Skeen Staff Writer PALMDALE - The House of Representatives and the Senate last week approved defense bills that provide more funding for the B-2 bomber bomber Military aircraft designed to drop bombs on surface targets. Aerial bombardment can be traced to the Italo-Turkish War (1911), in which an Italian pilot dropped grenades on two Turkish targets. and provide all the money President George W. Bush requested for the Global Hawk reconnaissance aircraft and the joint strike fighter programs The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) became synonymous with the later F-35 Lightning II, however until 2001 the term was applied to the competition between the Boeing X-32 and Lockheed Martin X-35. . Both bills also approve an across-the-board pay raise of 4.1 percent for military personnel, but the differences between them must be ironed out by conference committees later this summer. The House approved a $354.7 billion 2003 defense appropriations bill that includes $265 million for the B-2 bomber program, $3.5 billion for the development of the joint strike fighter A strike fighter is a fighter aircraft which is also capable of attacking surface targets, including ships. It differs from an attack aircraft in that the aircraft remains a capable fighter. , and $562.3 million for the Global Hawk program. The Senate approved their version of the 2003 defense authorization bill, which includes $305.6 million for the B-2 program and also fully funds the president's request for the Global Hawk and joint strike fighter programs. Planned upgrades to the B-2 bomber fleet include improved satellite communication systems and the development of maintenance improvements for door seals and engine exhaust and tailpipe tail·pipe n. The pipe through which exhaust gases from an engine are discharged. Also called exhaust pipe. tailpipe Noun a pipe from which exhaust gases are discharged, esp. coatings. The $562.3 million for the unmanned Global Hawk reconnaissance aircraft goes to the program that is transitioning from a research and development effort into production. The high-altitude, long-duration flying Global Hawk is being tested at Edwards Air Force Base Edwards Air Force Base, U.S. military installation, 301,000 acres (121,805 hectares), S Calif., NE of Lancaster; est. 1933. It is one of the largest air force bases in the United States and has the world's longest runway. and has been used in the Afghanistan campaign. Work on the B-2 bombers and the Global Hawk aircraft is performed by Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) is an aerospace and defense conglomerate that is the result of the 1994 purchase of Grumman by Northrop. The company is the third largest defense contractor for the U.S. in Palmdale. The $3.5 billion for the development of the joint strike fighter is equally split among variants for the Navy and the Air Force. A portion of the work on the joint strike fighter program is slated to go to Palmdale. |
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