The Air Force recently awarded a $46.7 million fixed-price incentive, cost-plus contract to Boeing for seven full-rate production Combat Network Communication Technology (CONECT) kits for USAF’s B-52 fleet. The kits will modernize and update the bomber with networked, beyond line of sight communications technology, machine-to-?machine targeting tools, and allow more flexibility in upgrading the types of weapons it can carry, such as standoff weapons and air launched decoys. The Aug. 28 contract also covers associated support equipment and engineering assistance for the USAF depot maintenance shop, located at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex at Tinker AFB, Okla. In addition, the contract covers the conversion of 21 CONECT kits from low-rate initial production configuration to the full-rate configuration, which will also be performed at the OC-ALC. Work on the contract is projected to be complete by May 2017. The first CONECT-modified B-52 was delivered to Air Force Global Strike Command in April 2014. USAF plans to eventually modify its entire B-52H fleet with the upgrade.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. still “believes” in his mantra of “Accelerate Change or Lose”—and indicated the doctrinal changes it produced when he was Air Force Chief of Staff played a role in the service’s recent response to Iran’s aerial assault on Israel, he…