The Air Force Research Lab’s Directed Energy Directorate wants to receive by Jan. 15 proposals for the Counter-electronics High-power Microwave Advanced Missile Project, an effort to develop a multi-shot and multi-target aerial high-power microwave weapon to attack electronic systems. AFRL issued the broad agency announcement in October as one means to address a combatant commander requirement for “additional military options against the variety of electronic systems that are used in military, industrial, civil, and asymmetrical applications.” Contractors are expected to produce five aerial demonstrators. AFRL estimates the demonstration program cost at around $40 million from Fiscal 2009 to 2012.
The Air Force has finished modifying and testing the new VC-25B Bridge aircraft that will serve as a temporary Air Force One, the service announced May 1. All that’s left now is to finish painting the jet before it starts flying this summer.