The Air Force on Thursday awarded more than $110 million to Raytheon, L-3 Communication, and ViaSat Inc. to demonstrate the ability to perform anti-jamming for tactical use of the Wideband Global Satellite Communications constellation. The contracts from the Air Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center—$39 million to Raytheon, $38 million to L-3, and $33 million to ViaSat—call on the companies to demonstrate the anti-jam capability by Sept. 30, 2020, according to a Defense Department announcement. (See also: Never Assume Space is Safe, Hyten Cautions.)
As Air Force leaders consider concepts of operations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, sustainment in the field—and easing that support by using standard parts and limiting variants—should be a key consideration, according to a new study from AFA's Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Studies.