The Defense Department is sidestepping a requirement to conduct a review of the U.S. military's future aircraft needs originally requested by Congress to produce a prioritized ranking -- or "optimized mix" -- of short- and long-range strike aircraft as well as the best combination of manned and unmanned platforms. The Fiscal Year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act included a provision requiring the defense secretary to conduct a sweeping study and produce a report on the "optimal mix of aircraft capabilities...
