Still Hope for a B-52 SOJ?:

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The Deputy Defense Secretary’s Advisory Working Group (DAWG) may provide the go-ahead within a month to develop the Core Component Jammer, the electronic attack system USAF would like to field on the B-52 bomber. Col. Bob Schwarze, Air Staff chief of electronic warfare, told the Daily Report May 9 that Elaine Simmons of DOD’s Program Acquisition and Evaluation will brief the DAWG either May 23 or June 4 on the latest CCJ analysis. The Air Force canceled its overly ambitious $7 billion B-52 standoff jamming program in 2005, but service officials resurrected the concept. In 2006, “we re-scoped the overall requirements in stand-off jamming, and we came up with the CCJ,” Schwarze explained, noting that this program has better defined requirements, essentially making it more reality-based and, therefore, more useful. USAF still feels the 40-foot-long CCJ would work well on the B-52 bomber. Schwarze estimated a $2.8 billion to $3.7 billion price tag over the life of the program, including 24 sets of jamming pods.

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org