The Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles AFB, Calif., has awarded Lockheed Martin nearly $51 million to make the transition from legacy Milstar communications satellite ground control and mission planning equipment to new Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite program ground equipment. The first AEHF satellite is slated to launch in spring 2008. SMC expects Lockheed to complete this transition work by May 2010.
An Air Force F-16 pilot designed a collapsible ladder that weighs just six pounds and folds into the unused cockpit map case.