NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev., April 16 (UPI) -- Aerospace company Boeing Co. teamed with the U.S. Air Force to test network capabilities on the U.S. Airborne Warning and Control System, the company said.
Boeing along with the Electronic Systems Center of the U.S. Air Force are demonstrating modifications to the Block 40/45 mission system on AWACS test aircraft at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.
Boeing said the mission system represents the "most significant" upgrade to date for the AWACS fleet. The Block 40/45 system uses updated management systems and controls in a new open architecture mission system.
"These modifications, which enable more rapid and accurate sharing of data, have been integrated into the new Block 40/45 mission system aboard the Test System 3 AWACS aircraft," said Rick Heerdt, director of Boeing Airborne Warning Systems.
AWACS operators during mission tests use Internet chat applications and navigational Web sites to improve on board situational awareness.
Automated systems let operators monitor airspace more effectively, giving warfighters a better picture of the battlefield, added Heerdt.
