The Air Force rolls out a new acquisition strategy, dubbed EASE-evolutionary acquisition for space efficiency-with release of the Fiscal 2012 budget. Air Force Space Command expects EASE, which requires Congressional approval, to provide an incremental funding approach, utilizing block buys and fixed-price contracting to help prevent requirements creep and escalating cost for space systems.
The Air Force awarded a $13.08 billion contract to the Sierra Nevada Corporation on April 26 for its Survivable Airborne Operations Center aircraft, the successor to the service’s E-4B “Doomsday” plane. Like the E-4B, officially called the National Airborne Operations Center, the SAOC will be meant to withstand a nuclear attack and keep…