$150M to Integrate New Weapons on the USA’s B-52 Bombers (updated)
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Boeing Co. in Wichita, KS received a $150 million cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price and cost reimbursable contract to expand the capabilities of its 1960s-era B-52 Stratofortress fleet. This contract covers new weapons integration on the bombers, as established by Air Force Program Management Directive 2220 98 PE 11113F for B-52 Program Support Management Plan. The Smart Weapons Integration Next Generation contract will cover a 12-year period, with an initial $1.6 million development demonstration contract that will modify the aircraft’s weapon delivery software and complete the integration of the Miniature Air Launched Decoy (MALD).
Aircraft modifications will be required to integrate each new weapon onto the B-52. Some subsequent contract modifications will support Air Force initiatives for spiral development of other weapons in this class, such as Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range (JASSM-ER), MALD Jammer, et. al. Others will support totally new weapons, such as Small Diameter Bomb and Boost Phase Interceptor. Work will be complete December 2020. The Headquarters Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, Tinker Air Force Base, OK issued the contract. (FA8107-06-C-0001)
UPDATE: Boeing has issued a release noting that these efforts will also include integration of PMA-201 group’s Universal Armament Interface – the next generation interface between the mission planning system, aircraft platform, and weapons. If successful, this will be a big step forward vs. the present approach of integrating each new weapon individually.
