Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead have signed a memorandum of agreement to cooperate closely on their services’ respective high-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft fleets. Under the terms, the Air Force and Navy will maximize commonality, eliminate redundant effort, and increase interoperability between the former’s RQ-4 Global Hawk and the latter’s Broad Area Maritime Surveillance systems. Both are based on Northrop Grumman’s Global Hawk air vehicle. This cooperation includes an integrated approach to training, maintenance, and operations. “This MOA is a tremendous step forward between our two services,” said Lt. Gen. David Deptula, top intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance official on the Air Staff. We reported back in May that this agreement was coming, but the Air Force just announced its June 12 signing on Thursday. USAF operates Global Hawks today; BAMS is scheduled for initial operations in 2015. (SAF/PA release by TSgt. Amaani Lyle)
Sticker Shock Drags Out USAF’s E-7 Negotiations with Boeing
April 18, 2024
While a deal on the E-7 Wedgetail airborne battle management jet may come soon, negotiations are stuck on the high price Boeing is asking for the development jets, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said recently.