Inside the Air Force highlights

Some must-reads from this week's issue of Inside the Air Force:

1. The Air Force and the National Reconnaissance Office are working to develop a new service cost position and revised acquisition program baseline for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program to incorporate a revised strategy and an influx of funds from Congress to replace the Russian-made RD-180 rocket engine.

Full story: Air Force, NRO updating EELV cost baseline to align with new strategy

2. A Lockheed Martin spokeswoman told Inside the Air Force this week the company will have options ready for Congress and the Air Force if Senate language telling the service to explore the idea of an unmanned U-2 is approved in the final fiscal year 2018 defense policy bill.

Full story: Lockheed preps options as Senate urges new look at unmanned U-2

3. The Pentagon is seeking permission to shift $2.4 billion between budget accounts to accelerate the Presidential Aircraft Program schedule, launch a new-start program so the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter can hit moving targets next year, acquire the means to defeat small unmanned aerial vehicles U.S. forces are seeing in Iraq and Syria, and more.

Full story: DOD seeks OK from lawmakers to shift $2.4 billion between accounts

4. The Air Force is forecasting a 13.5 percent unit-cost increase for a new F-15 self-protection capability because its fiscal year 2018 budget proposal reduced the project's quantity by 192 systems.

Full story: F-15C EPAWSS quantity reduction triggers 13.5 percent unit-cost spike