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.)
The six-week government shutdown did not affect the hours flown by Air Force pilots, a service spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine—avoiding what could have been a major blow at a time when flying hours are already lower than they have been in decades.
