The Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom AFB, Mass., is looking to industry for ways to detect and defeat person-borne improvised explosive devices, more commonly known as suicide bombers. According to a solicitation issued Monday, center officials seek a sensor-based system with a high accuracy rate that can detect IEDs located anywhere on a person’s body. Specifically, the Air Force is looking for a rugged and reliable system with automatic detection capabilities that can visually and/or audibly announce positive detection of a PBIED “without an operator in the loop,” states a request for information on the Federal Business Opportunities website. The system must be easily portable, require minimal operator training, and complete a full scan in less than one minute. Industry is asked to submit their ideas by Oct. 1.
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.