The Air Force has awarded Boeing a $12.5 million contract to provide three massive ordnance penetrators, those huge 30,000 pound-class bunker busters, for use in tests on the B-52H bomber. According to DOD’s list of major contracts for Aug. 18, these MOPs will be used in one single drop test and one dual-release drop test from the venerable B-52. This news comes on the heels of the Pentagon announcing its intent to accelerate MOP development by several years so that the first units could be available for operational use by next summer. (See UPI news wire service report from Aug. 17.) The Air Force announced in June that it intends to purchase up to 20 MOPs from Boeing before the end of the year for testing and operational use with the B-2A bomber. (DOD contract list for Aug. 18)
Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, nominee to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Defense Department needs to upgrade its electronic warfare capability and its EW training ranges; just as his predecessor said at his own confirmation hearing.