Senate Panel’s Defense Policy Bill to Authorize $1.2B for USAF Light Attack Aircraft Procurement

The Senate Armed Services Committee’s defense policy bill for fiscal 2018 would provide the U.S. Air Force with $1.2 billion in funds to acquire a new light attack aircraft through the OA-X procurement program, Defense News reported Thursday.

The Senate panel approved its version of the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act through a unanimous vote Wednesday.

“The idea behind putting in funding is to actually move this program along,” a Senate aide told reporters Thursday.

“The best way to do that is to provide funding to get the program started.”

The Air Force plans to decide on the potential OA-X program once it conducts a flight demonstration in August at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico.

A team composed of Sierra Nevada and Embraer’s defense and security business will participate in the event to demonstrate the A-29 Super Tucano aircraft.

Textron will also showcase the Scorpion jet and AT-6 aircraft at the event, the report added.