Air Force Chief of Staff Michael Moseley said he’s killed the B-52 Standoff Jammer project once—when its cost ballooned from $1 billion to $7 billion—and he’s prepared to do it again if requirements get out of hand. Moseley told reporters Monday at AFA’s Air & Space Conference that the SOJ is back in the future years spending plan, but the details are still being worked out. The number to be modified could be around 36 aircraft. A big player in the final scheme for jamming will be what can be done with an unmanned vehicle that can stealthily penetrate enemy defenses, he said.
The six-week government shutdown did not affect the hours flown by Air Force pilots, a service spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine—avoiding what could have been a major blow at a time when flying hours are already lower than they have been in decades.
