A Northrop Grumman statement Tuesday says the company has gotten word from the Air Force that the service has decided “to end” the E-10A Multi-Sensor Command and Control Aircraft Weapon System Integration program. Apparently, USAF did not fund the WSI in its 2008 budget request. Last year, the service acceded to the Quadrennial Defense Review, relegating the program to demonstrator status only and predictions were that the end would come in the 2008 budget. Northrop’s VP for intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance programs, Dave Nagy, said, “Over the next 30 days, we will be exploring options for the future of the [Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program Wide Area Surveillance] sensor and [Battle Management Command and Control] system.” He added, “The taxpayers have made a significant investment in this critical technology.”
An important U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control plane was among the aircraft damaged in a March 27 Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.