Northrop Grumman says it led a contractor team to design and integrate a one-of-a-kind laser positioning system in a Boeing 737 flight simulator to study aircrew exposure to lasers. Northrop worked with the Air Force and FAA to create this means to monitor pilots’ reaction to an “eye-safe laser” that will be used to develop new flight safety measures to counter the threat of laser blinding.
The Air Force and Boeing agreed to a nearly $2.4 billion contract for a new lot of KC-46 aerial tankers on Nov. 21. The deal, announced by the Pentagon, is for 15 new aircraft in Lot 11 at a cost of $2.389 billion—some $159 million per tail.