WASHINGTON U.S. Air Force and Lockheed Martin officials are trying to understand and adjust to the Pentagon’s $876-million restructuring of the F/A-22 program that at first blush would reduce total production by as many as 63 aircraft—to as few as 276 from the original 339 stealthy fighters requested by the service.

WASHINGTON The Army is quickly fielding helicopter upgrades for use in a looming military confrontation with Iraq, but there are clear signs that longterm winners in the service’s perennial budget battles are the Army’s special operations forces and unmanned aircraft.

PARIS An inquiry board investigating the failed inaugural launch of an upgraded Ariane 5 EC-A on Dec. 11 has conditionally cleared the basic booster for an early return to service, but recommended design and testing/validation changes that could idle the EC-A for up to a year.

LONDON The British Defense Ministry has rebuffed overtures from BAE Systems which would have seen an early introduction into service of an improved Hawk jet trainer in advance of the ministry’s proposed Military Flying Training System in 2007.