Requirements Creep Doomed the Electric BUFF

Requirements Creep Doomed the Electric BUFF: Snowballing requirements doomed the B-52 Standoff Jammer project, according to Gen. Michael Moseley. The original idea called for about a $1 billion project to develop interchangeable pods that could fulfill “a very narrow slice” of the SOJ requirement, said the USAF Chief of Staff at a Capitol Hill seminar Tuesday. But by the time the Air Force formally killed the project early this year, it had swelled to an overly ambitious $7 billion project. “We couldn’t afford it,” Moseley said. Asked why the Air Force couldn’t contain the requirements creep as it was happening, Moseley said “I don’t know. It’s a good question.” The Air Force is looking at a variety of options to replace the capability, but Moseley notes that “the desired effect” rather than a platform, will drive the solution this time. The service is considering a podded system that could be deployed on the F-15E or an unmanned air vehicle.