Frank Kendall, secretary of the U.S. Air Force, and Heidi Shyu, under secretary of defense for research and engineering, have warned Congress that delays in the fiscal year 2024 budget directly impact key military technology development programs aimed at winning the technological race with China, Federal Times reported Monday.
Among these programs is the Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft, or CCA, concept, which seeks to advance air combat operations through manned-unmanned aircraft teaming.
Kendall said during the annual Reagan National Defense Forum in California that the service branch has spent two years on the CCA concept and may “lose another year” if it does not get a full-year budget for FY 2024.
Shyu noted that inconsistent funding has also slowed the testing of hypersonic weapon systems, adding that the OUSD(R&E) plans to send Congress a list of systems that would be affected by a yearlong continuing resolution.
“China spends an enormous amount of money on test assets,” Shyu said. “This is where we have [a] shortfall.”
Kendall and Shyu are both 2023 Wash100 awardees.
Shyu is set to speak at the Potomac Officers Club’s 10th Annual Defense R&D Summit on Jan. 31 to discuss the latest developments in the defense technology sector. Register here and save a seat at the highly anticipated event.
