Magee Technologies, Sierra Nevada Corporation and Northrop Grumman received separate Other Transaction Agreements in July. Each contractor will formulate a strategy for integrating an upgraded Extremely High Frequency satellite communications link into the aircraft.
The Air Force is running the work in parallel to compare alternative technical approaches before deciding how to field the capability. This gives the service several integration options while preserving competition during an early stage of the modernization effort.
“These awards represent an important step toward modernizing the B-52’s communications infrastructure,” said Lt. Col. Michael Case, Materiel Leader for the B-52 Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications Branch at the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Bombers Directorate. “By partnering with these companies, we are ensuring that this aircraft remains a highly capable and connected component of our national defense strategy for decades to come.”
The planned EHF upgrade will support the Air Force’s broader modernization of the B-52 fleet. Secure global communications remain central to the bomber’s operational readiness and its role in U.S. strategic deterrence.
The agreements fund development of integration strategies rather than installation of new equipment across operational aircraft. The results will inform the Air Force’s approach to fielding the most effective SATCOM solution for the fleet.
