Wireless airwave frequencies highly sought after by industry are going up on the auction block as soon as June, as DOD along with 11 other federal agencies move to new airspace. According to the Associated Press news service, the Commerce Department says the turnover of an estimated 90 megahertz worth of space will cost $936 million. The Pentagon portion is about $289 million. According to the law mandating the switchover, the auction must deliver about 10 percent above cost—just over a billion. The Pentagon and other government agencies will move to other frequencies, making way for advanced commercial wireless services. The entire process could take up to four years.
As Air Force leaders consider concepts of operations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, sustainment in the field—and easing that support by using standard parts and limiting variants—should be a key consideration, according to a new study from AFA's Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Studies.