A Hill to Die on.

• Position: IN BRIEF

* When anyone wants to criticize the acquisition process, the F-35 is the go-to example. During the Air & Space Forces Association's Warfare Symposium, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall was asked how to avoid new tanker or fighter acquisition programs following the path of the F-35.

"The 23-year albatrosses are pretty rare, fortunately," Kendall replied. "The average program ... takes a little bit less than seven years to get into production."

"The thing I'm most worried about ... is delays in getting money, delays in getting authorization and appropriations from Congress," he said. "I'm concerned in the current power split on the Hill and the polarization we have...