Procurement

Advocacy groups are worried about the first draft of the treaty has too many loopholes; deadline for approval is Friday

Federal officials are upholding a major military healthcare award to UnitedHealth Group in spite of complaints from a previous contractor.

Starting in 2013, UnitedHealth will manage healthcare in 21 states for active-duty military, retirees and families. The award is worth $20.5 billion.

UnitedHealth replaced TriWest Healthcare Alliance Corp., which was denied on all counts after disputing the Pentagon's choice with the Government Accountability Office. 

A state-sponsored Russian defense firm with ties to the Pentagon is also supplying Iran with critical components that could be used to develop a new long-range missile system. 

Lockheed Martin received a $19.2 million contract from the Air Force on Tuesday to retrofit 40 F-22 fighters with an automatic backup oxygen system, addressing a problem that has vexed the Air Force and had temporarily grounded the F-22 fleet.

The Air Force still has not found the cause behind a problem with the F-22 Raptor’s oxygen system. Pilots have faced bouts of dizziness and other hypoxia symptoms from oxygen deprivation while flying the planes.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta made a personal pitch for Brazil to pick Boeing when it decides on a contract for fighter jets worth at least $4 billion.

Speaking in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday, Panetta said that the purchase of the F/A-18 Boeing-made Super Hornet fighters would give Brazil access to new technology sharing and would “transform” the relationship between Brazil’s defense and aerospace industries and U.S. companies.

Defense lawmakers in the House have agreed to invest millions of dollars in the Iron Dome anti-missile weapon for Israel, as long as the United States can acquire the development rights to the weapon system.

While Canada is technically still a key member of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) international consortium, it won't be buying any new jets anytime soon.

A government watchdog says a shipping company that received $1B in contracts may have violated the Iran Sanctions Act.

Despite yet another spike in costs and an international coalition that seems to be fraying at the seams, there is an sense of 'emerging stability' within the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, according to the Pentagon. 

An overzealous campaign by Ottawa to buy the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has put Canada's role on the fighter at risk, putting the United States in danger of losing a key ally in the program.