Boeing announced yesterday that it has completed satellite communications and air traffic management upgrades to the Air Force’s fleet of 32 E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System command and control aircraft. This work, completed several months ahead of schedule, was carried out under the program called integrated demand assigned multiple access/global air traffic management, or IDG for short. “The IDG program has been a tremendous success,” said Kelly Freebairn, Boeing’s program manager. The DAMA satellite communications upgrade provides multiple channels for voice and data, improving each AWACS aircraft’s ability to communicate with other aircraft and ground stations, the company said. The GATM capability, which includes a collision avoidance system, allows AWACS aircraft to fly more closely to other aircraft, which is essential for them being cleared to operate in congested airspace worldwide like in Europe and along the US East Coast.
A new think tank analysis finds a hypothetical blended-wing body tanker could offer twice as much refueling performance as the KC-46A Pegasus and recommends the Air Force buy scores of them, as the service prepares to evaluate a BWB demonstrator next year and must juggle its future tanker plans with…