Lt. Gen. Michael Peterson, USAF’s top information officer, told this reporter Thursday that the “best part” of this year’s Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment “hotwash” was that no one was complaining. Peterson explained that the key software experiments comprising the battlefield airborne communications node (BACN) performed well enough that he expects to see a dissimilar tactical data links software roll out within the next year. “Some of the information didn’t flow the right way, but most of it did,” Peterson said. He also indicated that the Combat SkySat program (a near-space balloon to relay data) is on a fast track, since it performed very well. Peterson emphasized that it would be an incredible asset to deployed special operations forces—and only cost $7,000 a pop.
Boeing received a $2.47 billion Air Force contract Nov. 25 for 15 more KC-46s, bringing to 183 the number of Pegasus tankers on contract to all customers, foreign and domestic. The new contract—for Lot 12 of the initially planned KC-46 buy—is to be completed by 2029.
