Boeing’s global strike chief Dick Banholzer said the Air Force could conceivably buy some more Boeing-built F-15E fighters. The F-15E is the best of the 4th Generation fighters, but far less capable than the 5th Generation F-22. Even so, said the Boeing official, future force structure studies could recommend acquisition of an additional 50 to 100 Strike Eageles. the Air Force has purchased 236 F-15Es so far. He mentioned that there was briefly interest in using the F-15E as a platform for a standoff jammer, in light of the cold feet toward a possible B-52 SOJ but for the moment “that has all gone quiet.”
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
