USAF B-52s to get new secure telecom links

Space War ^ | 9/29/2009 | UPI

[sonofstrangelove]

The B-52 aircraft deployed as part of the U.S. Air Force fleet are to be equipped with secure Extremely High Frequency Communication Systems to enable them to remain in contact with other elements of the military in space, in the air and on the ground. The revolutionary EHF has been found to be more reliable and less susceptible to atmospheric conditions than other frequencies.

The Boeing Co. said Tuesday it received a $5.4 million initial contract to begin work on developing technologies required to integrate the new EHF satellite communication system on the U.S. Air Force B-52 fleet.

No timeline for having the system in place has been mentioned, but it may be some time before the B-52 aircraft get fitted out with EHF equipment.

The Extremely High Frequency system will enable the exchange of information through what the security industry calls the Family of Advanced Beyond line-of-sight Terminals. FAB-T is designed to enable communication with the B-52 from ground, air and space platforms.

Boeing said it had won authorization to begin work on the first of three contract increments that will entail planning, risk mitigation and development of system requirements.

Increment Two will cover the design and installation of the FAB-T communication hardware, the company said, while Increment Three will integrate the new system into the Global Information Grid.

Total contract value is expected to be more than $100 million, Boeing said.

Scot Oathout, B-52 program manager for Boeing, said the EHF upgrade is one of many upgrades being installed on the USAF B-52 fleet.

Once installed, the EHF and the rest of the improvements will enable crew on board the aircraft to be better aware of the situation around them and make the warplane more effective in the battlefield.

[Don Corleone]

BUFF lives!

[Yo-Yo]

Very appropriate screen name for this article.

[llevrok]

What's the need??

Slim had no problems communicatin' with them God D*mn Rooskies in Dr Strangelove

[Moonman62]

Will this replace the CRM114?

[LaybackLenny]

Awesome! The B-52 is (along with the B-17) one of the most beautiful war birds ever constructed. Who ever would have thought upon it's first flight in 1952 it would still be a front-line weapons platform well into the 21st century.

Thanks for the post!

[sonofstrangelove]

No Problem

[pctech]

I too love those B-52s. When I stationed on Guam I used to love watching them take off and land. Noisy as can be, but I great plane.

[Irisshlass]

I trained on them.

[Secret Agent Man]

Ride that baby right to Iran’s uranium enrichment plants.

[grundle]

[Secret Agent Man]

Oh and by the way after Israel gets done with your country, Imabadhairdyejob, the new name of your country will be “glass”.

And the blood of about 25 million dead Iranians will be on your hands.

[Frantzie]

Major T.J. “King” Kong.

BUFF.

[M Kehoe]

Hopefully, this new commo and avionics will be impervious to EMP.

5.56mm

[rawhide]

Is this the bomber that has 8 engines?

[Moe Tzadik]

_nOPE

[Springman]

Just hope they don’t put in the self destruct switch.

[LaybackLenny]

Yep.

[parsifal]

My dad was in SAC. I remember them warming up the engines and the whole house shaking and when they flew over the house vibrations were more intense than a tornado I was caught in once.

parsy, who can still remember

[rawhide]

I remember the story of when someone who was flying one these babies, and they had requested an emergency landing because one of the engines had gone out, and the tower radioed back something like ‘Ah yes, the dreaded 7-engine landing!’. Sure was a funny line to me.

[SnuffaBolshevik]

"I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, Communist subversion and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids."

Gen. Jack D. Ripper

[GBA]

Please tell me FAB-T manufacturing and product support isn’t being outsourced to China.

[puppypusher]

These B-52 don’t need communication equipment upgrades.Afterall Obama’s only going to require they stay parked on the ramp anyway.What the hell,Let the crew use a cell phone.Maybe they can use a blackberry like Obama.SARCASM.

[dr_who]

Yeah...oh you oughta see it sometime. It's a sight. A big plane like a '52... varrrooom! Its jet exhaust... frying chickens in the barnyard!

[Don_Ret_USAF]

Worked on the A's, D's and E models back in the 60’s as a bubble chaser (hydraulic Spec). Loved the planes. Use to fly on the air refuelers KC-97’s and the KC-707’s. It was such a awesome sight to watch planes take on fuel. When the B-47’s took on fuel they were flying at near stall speed and the KC-97 was flying at max speed. Every now and then the B-47 would have to inc speed to stay in the air. This caused a thump in the KC-97. Reminded me of a calf nudging this mother when feeding. Thank for the picture. The G's and H's a vast improvement in the B-52. One other thing on the ground the plane looks all wrinkly and shaggy. But in the air it skin is smooth as a babies bottom and the wing are straight. You can see the wing move up and down. One majestic plane and was an honor to have worked on keeping them flying. GO SAC! Sorry SAC is NO MORE. Back in the 60 when I was in, SAC was lead by Gen LaMAy.

[NonValueAdded]

Megafortress bump

[SunkenCiv]

Cool! The New York Times now has a future, publishing a story on how to crack into and/or disrupt the new communications system.

[USAF70]

I’ll never forget standing on the flightline at Malmstrom AFB, Montana and watching the B-52’s take off. They would lumber down the runway so slow with their wings bouncing I thought they would never get off the ground. Always found their lift-off truly amazing.

[happinesswithoutpeace]

bump

[Redbob]

I love it!
Secure telecom links on an aircraft designed using sliderules!
LOL!

(That is still the most awesome bomber ever!)

[Rodamala]

[anymouse]

Geez the USAF moves slow. I worked on and saw launched the EHF enabled UHF Follow-on satellites over 10 years ago. Can’t believe that they are just now planning on outfitting the strategic B-52s with EHF terminals. The ships and subs have had EHF for years.

[LaybackLenny]

LOL!

[LaybackLenny]

Back in the 60 when I was in, SAC was lead by Gen LaMAy.

"Mad Bomber" PING!

Oh, man...if only we had one like him now. We could pave Afghanistan and Iran. They'd make a great parking lot for all the Dubai and Kuwait zillionaires!

[Thunder90]

The Russians are still flying the Bear bomber, and we are still flying around the BUFF!

[KoRn]

It’s a mistake to deploy this new system!

Nearby aircraft can easily eavesdrop on the plane’s communications by entering:

up up down down left right left right and B A Start

[Always Independent]

Any B-52s have “Love Shack” on the side of the fuselage!

[Condor51]

Here's how amazing the B-52 is...

It has been in service longer than the time from the Wright Brothers 1st Flight at Kittyhawk and when the B-52 was 1st flown. (hope I said that right, still early)

Wright Bros took off in 1903, B-52's first flight was 1952 = 49 years. 2009 - 1952 = 57 years, and the B-52 is STILL going strong. AMAZING Airplane.

[wny]

Obama will retire them. He’ll sell half to Venezuela and give the other half to ACORN.

[stevie_d_64]

I’m just glad that BUFF’s are still around protecting my precious bodily fluids...

When I first saw the word Telcom, I thought that was to allow them to order pizza’s...

Delivery might be kind of tricky, but if Domino’s has an Aurora aircraft, that might work out pretty good...;-)

[Don_Ret_USAF]

The Kc-135 was a converted boeing 707.

[Don_Ret_USAF]

You bet. I know many airmen that would have followed Gen LaMay to hell and back. He was tough, you did your job SAC’s way and all was well. I bet that LaMay would have flatten some mountains to small hill or even leveled them.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

I was born in 1952, how ironic this plane will outlive me.

[sonofstrangelove]

I will be there in 2012 to celebrate the anniversary of the Cuban missile crisis.

[AFPhys]

I am not sure what is so important for this administration to have any sort of high security communications. The only order they are likely to ever give is ‘surrender’.

[sonofstrangelove]

I agree.

[bt_dooftlook]

I think you have it backwards:

http://www.kls2.com/cgi-bin/arcfetch?db=sci.aeronautics.airliners&id=%3Cairliners.1993.596@ohare.chicago.com%3E