Boeing Awarded Contract to Update 10 B-52 Comms Kits

The Air Force has awarded Boeing a full-rate production contract to deliver 10 kits to modernize B-52 bombers, according to a Feb. 4 Boeing release. On Jan. 28, Boeing received the Combat Network Communications Technology (CONECT) upgrade, which includes full-color LCD displays with real-time intelligence feeds overlaid on moving maps, communication data links that connect via satellite to platforms and troops in the field and a high-speed network that enables airmen to respond quickly during a mission change or identify and engage new targets, according to the release. “CONECT gives the B-52 the agility and flexibility needed for the modern battlefield while also providing greater situational awareness for the aircrew,” said Scot Oathout, Boeing’s B-52 program director. Air Force personnel install CONECT at Tinker AFB, Okla., in conjunction with regularly scheduled maintenance. The contract will boost the total number of CONECT-upgraded B-52s to 30.