Based in Washington, Jen manages Aviation Week’s worldwide defense, space and security coverage.
Prior to taking on her current role, Jen was Aviation Week's Congressional Editor. Jen came to Aviation Week in March 2011 from Politico, where she covered the intersection of defense and politics. She also worked as a reporter and editor for Defense Daily, Inside the Army, The Other Paper and The Columbus Dispatch.
Jen received a Master’s degree in journalism as a Kiplinger Fellow at the Ohio State University. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in history and journalism from the University of Michigan.
Key U.S. Senate appropriators are recommending a $695 million reduction to the Defense Department’s fiscal 2012 request for the Lockheed Martin Joint Strike Fighter – a move coordinated or checked with the Pentagon, to some degree – saying the funds are not needed with the program slowed as it is.
As the Pentagon looks at its budget to find savings, everything is being considered, according to the man nominated to be the next No. 2 civilian at the Defense Department. That includes spending on military personnel, overseas basing and the Pentagon’s largest weapon system, the Lockheed Martin Joint Strike Fighter, according to Ashton Carter, who is currently in charge of buying weapons for the U.S. military.
The House of Representatives voted unanimously Tuesday to extend FAA funding through Jan. 30, 2012, and pressure is mounting to pass a longer-lasting FAA reauthorization measure the next time around. Though the bill, which is coupled with short-term highway legislation, still awaits Senate passage by the end of the week, the process is not nearly as contentious as the one that caused a two-week partial shutdown of the FAA in late July.
