The Air Force wants to “re-establish itself as a leader in electronic warfare,” said Lt. Gen. Herbert Carlisle, deputy chief of staff for operations, plans and requirements. Doing so will keep the service’s legacy platforms “viable well into the future,” he told the House Armed Services Committee’s readiness panel last week. To accomplish this goal, the service intends to speed up the procurement of active electronically scanned array radars and “electronic protect software upgrades,” he said. It also plans to add two EC-130H Compass Call aircraft over the next five fiscal years. (Carlisle written statement)
Boeing’s receipt of the 10th lot contract award for the KC-46 Pegasus this week leaves just three lots left to complete the Air Force’s buy of the tanker, although a further buy of 75 additional aircraft as a “bridge” to the Next-Generation Aerial-refueling System (NGAS) seems increasingly likely.