In the latest report to Congress about major acquisition program cost and schedule changes, the Pentagon noted the revised schedule and cost increases for the Air Force’s Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle. DOD had told Congress earlier this year that the high-flying UAV program had breached the Nunn-McCurdy rule. The latest Selected Acquisition Report shows that the UAV’s operational assessment completion date has slipped from June 2006 to March 2007. It also noted that program costs had increased from $7.8 billion to $9.5 billion. Part of the increase comes from retrofit requirements for such elements as the Joint Tactical Radio System and Family of Beyond Line of Sight Terminals, and higher than anticipated costs for the Advanced Signals Intelligence Payload and Radar Technology Insertion Program.
Satellite manufacturer Apex announced it would launch a space-based interceptor demonstration next summer—the latest company to unveil plans to prototype technology that could contribute to the Pentagon’s Golden Dome missile defense project.
