AIA asks lawmakers for leeway to develop UAS, commercial space capabilities

A recent letter from the Aerospace Industries Association to congressional leaders requests that Congress include strong, meaningful acquisition and contracting reforms in the fiscal year 2018 defense policy bill to put companies of all sizes on a level playing field and allow for more flexibility to address the military's needs.

Specifically, AIA asks for Congress' help to spur innovation for advanced manufacturing, unmanned aerial system and commercial space capabilities for national security purposes.

"While the aerospace industry supports increased funding, we also accept our responsibility to be good stewards of those dollars," the July 17 letter said. "To achieve that, it is critical that government and industry work together to better leverage commercial processes and products, and eliminate burdensome regulations that plague the industry -- requirements that limit our flexibility and undermine our responsiveness in a rapidly changing threat environment."

The letter drew dozens of signatures, including those of AIA President and Chief Executive Officer David Melcher, Boeing's President Dennis Muilenburg, who chairs the organization, and Thomas Kennedy, AIA's vice chairman and chief executive of Raytheon.

Earlier this year, AIA asked congressional leaders to end or raise the Budget Control Act’s defense spending caps. Last month's letter noted the aerospace lobby has floated several other policy proposals involving certified cost and pricing data, auditing practices, foreign military sales, internal research and development, acquisition transparency and unnecessary regulations.

"As the FY-18 [defense authorization bill] moves forward this year, we hope you will support a robust package of reforms that will remove burdensome regulations that provide little value for the taxpayer and streamline the acquisition process for all members of the defense industrial base," AIA said. "This will encourage all involved to deliver innovation more quickly -- and more affordably -- to our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines."