Today, Boeing announced that it has been awarded a contract for the initial effort required for integrating a new satellite communication system on the U.S. Air Force B-52 fleet. The Extremely High Frequency (EHF) system will enable the exchange of information through Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals (FAB-T), enabling communication with the B-52 from ground, air and space platforms.This is the first of three contract increments that has been authorized to begin. This first one includes planning, risk mitigation and development of system requirements. Increment Two will cover the design and installation of the FAB-T communication hardware. Increment Three will integrate the new system into the Global Information Grid. Total contract value is expected to be more than $100 million.
“The EHF upgrade is one of many upgrades we are installing on the B-52 fleet, ” Boeing B-52 program manager Scot Oathout said. “This capability, along with the rest of the suite, will provide B-52 crews with better situational awareness and extend the long arm of the B-52 even further into the battlefield.”
