L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) received a $34 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to help modernize the B-52 Stratofortress bomber.
The award is part of the Air Force’s Global Strike Command B-52 Quad Crew Program to consolidate the functions of the electronic warfare officer and navigator into one position. The B-52H is currently operated by a five-person crew that includes two pilots, two navigators and an electronic warfare officer.
Transforming the iconic B-52 bomber into a more capable platform that operates through 2050 is a priority for our company.
This contract is an important step forward for the nation’s strategic bomber operators and their global strike mission.
Ed Zoiss, President, Space and Airborne Systems, L3Harris
The consolidation of the two crew positions will include moving the control and display unit panels to the navigator station. The joint effort with the customer-led Crew Station Working Group will include a series of analysis – such as aircraft weight and balance, structural and electrical load analysis and thermal cooling – to identify any impact on the B-52 airframe and inform the modification kit design.
L3Harris has been providing critical B-52 technology for decades as the Original Equipment Manufacturer of the AN/ALQ-172 systems for this aircraft fleet. The company continues to help the Air Force evolve its capabilities from analog to digital solutions to defeat the continuously changing threat landscape.
Source: L3Harris news release
