EL SEGUNDO, Calif., March 14 (UPI) -- A plan to upgrade the satellite communications system on the B-2 stealth bomber has been given the green light by the U.S. Air Force.
The Air Force announced a Milestone B decision that will allow Northrop Grumman to begin the formal development of the extremely high frequency (EHF) satcom ink for the B-2, the United States' frontline long-range strategic bomber.
"Upgrading the B-2's satellite communications capabilities from UHF (ultra high frequency) to EHF will be like going from a dial-up Internet connection to broadband," Northrop Vice President Dave Mazur said in a news release issued from El Segundo Wednesday. "It will allow the aircraft to use both current and future military satellite communications networks to share battlefield information with allied commanders around the world."
The project is part of an update program for the B-2 to keep it up to speed with newly evolving threats and to make an overall more efficient nuclear-capable weapon system. Northrop has been updating electronics and communications gear, developed a new bomb rack that can carry larger payloads of guided ordnance, and added a different surface coating to the radar-evading plane that has reduced maintenance needs.
The first steps of the satcom project will involve replacing the B-2 flight-management computers with a new Lockheed unit. After that, the plane will be equipped to receive and transmit data over EHF at speeds about 100 times faster than current UHF.
