Shelley K. Mesch

Shelley K. Mesch joined Inside Defense as an Air Force reporter in 2022. She had previously reported on business, technology and innovation at The Salt Lake Tribune and the Wisconsin State Journal.

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Archived Articles
Daily News | June 22, 2023

As Congress is working on its fiscal year 2024 defense spending and policy bills, a Lockheed Martin executive has announced he backs the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter re-engine option that the Pentagon nixed months ago.

Daily News | June 21, 2023

The House Armed Services Committee approved Wednesday an amendment to the fiscal year 2024 defense policy bill that would allow the Defense Department to award cost-plus incentive-fee contracts for construction projects for the Sentinel Intercontinental Ballistic Missile program's facilities.

Daily News | June 21, 2023

House Armed Services Committee members voted Wednesday to prevent the Air Force from reducing the number of fighter squadrons it maintains.

Daily News | June 20, 2023

House lawmakers from two key defense committees are set to zero-out the Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon's fiscal year 2024 budget, ending the hypersonic program that has been plagued by test failures.

Daily News | June 20, 2023

The House Appropriations defense subcommittee would continue to fund the Adaptive Engine Transition Program that was originally intended for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, according to a draft report accompanying the annual defense spending bill obtained by Inside Defense.

Daily News | June 15, 2023

Defense software company Shield AI announced today it has formed a partnership with Kratos to put its artificial intelligence pilot on the XQ-58 Valkyrie drone.

Daily News | June 12, 2023

The House Armed Services Committee, under the "chairman's mark" released Monday evening, would continue to fund the Adaptive Engine Transition Program for close to $600 million in the fiscal year 2024 defense authorization bill.

Daily News | June 12, 2023

The House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee would limit the number of nuclear weapons the Defense Department is hoping to retire in fiscal year 2024 unless it can show there won't be a capability gap, according to a draft of the subcommittee's mark-up of the defense policy bill released Monday morning.

Daily News | June 9, 2023

The House Armed Services tactical air and land forces subcommittee plans to add additional oversight to the Next Generation Air Dominance programs underway within the Air Force and the Navy, according to a draft of the subcommittee's fiscal year 2024 authorization bill mark-up.

Daily News | June 9, 2023

The Air Force One replacement aircraft being built by Boeing will be delayed more than two years past its due date, according to a Government Accountability Office report released Thursday.

Daily News | June 9, 2023

Production-related problems have pushed delivery dates of the Boeing-made F-15EX Eagle II, which could lead to further milestone delays for the Air Force program, according to a Government Accountability Office report released Thursday.

Daily News | June 8, 2023

The Air Force and Northrop Grumman are discussing changes to the schedule for the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile to remedy the "many deficiencies" in the current master schedule, according to a Government Accountability Office report released Thursday.

Daily News | June 2, 2023

L3Harris Technologies, and likely other defense contractors, won't continue bidding for fixed-price contracts, CEO Chris Kubasik said Thursday.

Daily News | June 1, 2023

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK -- In a cavernous manufacturing bay here, Boeing engineers can climb inside and around a B-52 Stratofortress bomber the Air Force loaned to the company from the boneyard. (UPDATED)

Daily News | May 30, 2023

The Defense Department and Government Accountability Office don't fully agree on how to manage and report on F-35 Joint Strike Fighter engine and thermal management modernization efforts, according to a report released Tuesday.

The Insider | May 25, 2023

The Air Force Scientific Advisory Board will meet June 15 in a closed session to receive final outbriefs on its fiscal year 2023 studies, according to an announcement posted Thursday.

Daily News | May 23, 2023

The Defense Department doesn't oversee or account for spare parts for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program and doesn't know the total value or quantity of spares held on non-prime contractor facilities, according to a Government Accountability Office report released Tuesday.

Daily News | May 22, 2023

As the Next Generation Air Dominance platform moves toward the engineering and manufacturing development phase, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said Monday the service will refine the acquisition process to avoid the "malpractice" of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

The Insider | May 18, 2023

The Air Force is seeking technical support for its Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile in a contract worth up to $25.5 million, according to a solicitation posted Thursday.

Daily News | May 18, 2023

The Air Force plans to award an engineering and manufacturing development contract for its Next Generation Air Dominance platform next year, according to a Thursday news release from the service.

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