The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Tinker AFB, Okla., awarded Boeing Aerospace Operations a $52.8 million modification to a previously awarded contract for the avionics modernization program phase II for the VC-25A aircraft, commonly referred to as Air Force One. The modification contract covers the engineering services to manufacturer or procure, install, and test one prototype, according to a March 4 Pentagon announcement. Work is slated for completion by May 2018 and will be performed at Boeing’s Oklahoma City, Okla., facility. The Air Force has obligated $10.3 million of research, development, test, and evaluation funds for the program in Fiscal 2015, states the release.
A top Pentagon tech official called on industry this week to help the military develop “lighter, more efficient” directed energy weapons designed to go on aircraft and conduct special operations missions or down drones—areas where the Air Force’s directed energy efforts have been quiet as of late.