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Five
aerospace leaders pleaded Tuesday for greater budget certainty, clarity of
requirements, and easing of export restrictions to help the industry get
through the current budget downturn. Speaking during a panel discussion at AFA’s
Air & Space Conference in National Harbor, Md., Sikorsky President Mick
Maurer said the military’s desire for unrestricted use of industry’s
intellectual property or data makes it harder to bring innovation from the
private sector. Darryl Davis, president of Boeing’s Phantom Works, said the
export restrictions also make it hard to “leverage technology on a global
scale.” Christopher Jones, President of Northrop Grumman Technical Solutions,
said they need “more clarity in what [the Defense Department] and the services
really need.” Robert Weiss, general manager of Lockheed Martin’s Skunk
Works, also said it was difficult to shape investment in new technologies
without knowing that the Air Force’s future requirements. Aerospace Industries
Association President Marion Blakey said “the current budget is simply
unacceptable,” given threats from ISIS terrorists, Russia, and China. “Now,
more than ever, we need a strong aerospace industry,” said Blakey, who urged
other industry representatives in the audience to join AIA’s “Second to None”
campaign to repeal sequestration so the defense budget can better support
aerospace.