Tuesday, June 2, 2015

US Air Force eyes next-gen electronic warfare, not Boeing jets | Reuters

US Air Force eyes next-gen electronic warfare, not Boeing jets | Reuters: The U.S. Air Force on Mondaysaid it aims to meet electronic warfare needs usingnext-generation aircraft such as Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 fighter and a new long-range bomber, rather than olderplanes like Boeing Co's EA-18G Growler.

Air Combat Command Commander General Herbert Carlisle saidthe F-35 offered "some pretty impressive" electronic warfare capabilities - consisting of jamming enemy signals to make iteasier for warplanes to bomb targets on the ground and otheroffensive actions - though he gave no details.

Carlisle said a bomber for which a contract will be awardedin coming months, and the associated "family of systems" to berolled out in coming years, would also give the Air Force newelectronic warfare capabilities.