Electronic Weapons: October 29, 2000

Archives

The electronic warfare upgrade for the B-1 bomber fleet is 16 months behind schedule due to the Boeing strike and delays in the Navy-led Integrated Defensive Electronics Countermeasures program. This has increased the cost, and the Air Force may no longer be able to afford the originally planned program. Options include eliminating the duplicate radar warning receiver for the pilots (leaving the one for the "guys in back"), delay simulator upgrades, stretch out the installation of the upgrade over more years, or pass on some planned software improvements.--Stephen V Cole