This week's Washington Outlook column discusses how the next president can best secure a budget deal, FAA's certification of Moon Express and Virgin, and the presidential candidates' mixed messages on space policy.

Access to innovative commercial technology is not the problem, it’s the acquisition rules that can lead to its being reclassified as military, a Rockwell Collins exec argues.

Piaggio flies its MPA; U.S. bombers practice long-range mission; Russian companies beef up export marketing; Northrop wins contract for second Japanese E-2D.

From contract award to operational green light, we chart some of the Joint Strike Fighter program’s key highs and lows.

Consensus is that Trump would be more bullish on defense, but Clinton could boost defense spending above Obama administration plans, too.

Indonesia should have had 21 reconditioned F-16s by the end of 2015; only eight are in service.

B-52s flying directly from the United States, an extremely visible demonstration of the U.S. commitment to its allies, have been a prominent feature of recent exercises from Spain to South Korea. Their latest appearance was over the Baltic Sea Aug. 1.

The idea of using laser weapons against ballistic missiles in their launch phase gains traction as the U.S. Missile Defense Agency prepares to select two flying testbed aircraft to carry its low-power laser demo program into the stratosphere.