Ken Vandruff
A program to add electronic jamming capabilities to the B-52 Stratofortress
was canceled by the U.S. Air Force.

Boeing Integrated Defense Systems Wichita officials had hoped to win the
B-52 Stand off jammer program with plans to perform the modification work in
Wichita. Boeing estimated the program would be worth $200 million.

"The tight fiscal environment required hard programmatic choices," says
Nicole Van Natter, spokeswoman for the Secretary of the Air Force. "As part
of the decision making process, the B-52 Stand off jammer research,
development, test and evaluation funding was canceled."

The program would have been operational by 2012.

"The budget process is long and complex and it's too early to say what the
impact of any specific budget item will be on Boeing's continuing needs of
our Defense customers," says Forrest Gossett, Boeing IDS Wichita spokesman.

"We continue to develop and study a number of different options and stand
ready to meet the electronic warfare requirements of the warfighter customer
now and in the future."

Gossett also says it's too early in the budgeting process to tell how the
loss of the B-52 project might impact employment at Boeing Wichita.