The Air Force has awarded Boeing a $148 million contract to start work on the fourth Wideband Gapfiller Satellite, known as WGS F4. The company already is working on the first three WGS satellites. USAF expects the system to bridge the gap between present-day communications satellites and the next-generation communication sats. The first WGS launch now is slated for June 2007.
Amid a high-profile recruiting crisis, Air Force leaders and experts have increasingly noted the challenging long-term trends the service will face in enticing young Americans to sign up—decreasing eligibility to serve, less propensity to do so, and less familiarity with the military. But while those same leaders say there’s no “silver…