Raytheon says that the company has completed a significant milestone—the factory acceptance test—of the command, control, and communications segment for the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System, for the next-generation weather satellite. An integrated Raytheon-Northrop Grumman team completed six months of testing on the C3 segment, clearing the way for Raytheon to ship hardware out for installation at 10 sites—including the data processing center at Offutt AFB, Neb.
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.