The Air Force has awarded Boeing $296 million to produce 12,889 Joint Direct Attack Munition guidance kits for 500-, 1,000-, and 2,000-pound bombs. The contract covers Lot 11; the service has just issued a sources sought for Lots 12-17. USAF expects Boeing to complete Lot 11 work by March 2009.
The use of a military counter-drone laser on the southwest border this week—which prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to abruptly close the airspace over El Paso, Texas—will be a “case study” on the complex web of authorities needed to employ such weapons near civilian areas and the consequences of agencies…

