The Defense Department is examining industrial base concerns ahead of its choice between Northrop Grumman and a Boeing–Lockheed Martin team for the Long Range Strike Bomber contract, Breaking Defense reported Thursday.
Colin Clark writes that Richard Aboulafia, vice president for analysis at Teal Group, told the website DoD could face reduced production and design capabilities for the combat aircraft sector if one vendor or the other loses on the contract.
Pentagon acquisition chief Frank Kendall, an inductee into Executive Mosaic‘s Wash100 for 2015, noted that industrial base issues will not influence the selection of the awardee, although the report said the program budget seems to indicate a higher focus on production rather than innovation.