According to Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.), the 2007 defense appropriations bill contains “supportive language” to encourage the Air Force to resurrect its B-52 Standoff Jammer program. USAF had cancelled the SOJ program because it became too expensive through requirements creep. Chief of Staff Gen. Michael Moseley said earlier this week that he had put the SOJ back in the future years defense plan, but he would not hesitate to kill it again should its cost soar out of control.
A top Pentagon tech official called on industry this week to help the military develop “lighter, more efficient” directed energy weapons designed to go on aircraft and conduct special operations missions or down drones—areas where the Air Force’s directed energy efforts have been quiet as of late.