Rockwell Collins has signed a maintenance agreement with L-3 Communications to provide avionics service and support for the Air Force’s MC-12 Liberty intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance aircraft. “This maintenance contract is based on best practices that we’ve developed for commercial airlines and business jet operators for many years,” said Scott Gunnufson, Rockwell’s vice president and general manager of Service Solutions, in the company’s release. This new contract calls for Rockwell to provide maintenance on all 37 MC-12Ws. L-3 is the MC-12 prime contractor. Just last week, the Air Force announced that Beale AFB, Calif., will be the stateside home of the MC-12s, which have been providing invaluable direct overhead ISR support to ground forces in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, nominee to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Defense Department needs to upgrade its electronic warfare capability and its EW training ranges; just as his predecessor said at his own confirmation hearing.