Boeing delivered the first B-1 bomber upgraded with the Integrated Battle Station to the Air Force on Jan. 21. The modification “essentially turns the B-1 into a new aircraft with the addition of the full color displays, moving maps, and new diagnostics systems,” according to a Jan. 22 company release. The upgrade—the “most extensive” in “B-1 history”—improves situational awareness for Lancer crews while providing “faster and more secure communication capabilities,” states the release. The aircraft was delivered to Dyess AFB, Tex.
The emphasis on speed in the Pentagon’s newly unveiled slate of acquisition reforms may come with increased near-term cost increases, analysts say. But according to U.S. defense officials, the new weapons-buying construct provides the military with enough flexibility to prevent runaway budget overruns in major programs.
