PRODUCTION OF KITS to upgrade the Rockwell B-1B's conventional-mission capability may be put out to competition. The upgrade is being developed by Rockwell, but the US Air Force has invited responses from other contractors which may be interested in bidding for the work.
Award of a contract for 94 aircraft-modification kits is planned for the third quarter of 1997, with an option to begin production of 123 conversion kits for the B-1's rotary launcher a year later.
The kits will introduce the 1760 weapons databus to allow carriage of the joint direct-attack munition and add a global-positioning system and anti-jam radio.
The USAF wants delivery of aircraft kits to begin in the first quarter of 1999, followed by launcher kits a year later, with the upgraded B-1B becoming operational early in the year 2000.
Source: Flight International