The Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin a $4.4 million contract to upgrade the workstations in the Distributed Common Ground System, according to a company release. The DCGS is a series of intelligence centers spread out worldwide in which USAF analysts process imagery and signals intelligence from both manned and unmanned reconnaissance aircraft. They pass intelligence products from there on to combat troops on the front lines. In the past, these analysts were not able to easily exchange data between multiple platforms. Under the initial task order, Lockheed will upgrade 200 work stations so analysts may use both UNIX and Windows-based software applications simultaneously, from a single work station. The new workstations all will include four-panel, color LCD monitors, allowing analysts to simultaneously view multiple full-motion video feeds, said company officials. (For more on DCGS, read ISR Revolution from the June issue of Air Force Magazine.)
Amid NATO’s continued push to ramp up air defenses in Eastern Europe, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall swung by seven allied countries to boost relations last week, including those on Russia’s and Ukraine’s doorstep.