The Air Force has contracted with Space Data Corp. to provide a communications system that will aid battlefield communications from a balloon-borne platform in near space. Tests have shown that the system can extend ground-to-ground voice and data communications from 10 miles to more than 400 miles. The latest experiment took place this spring under a program called Combat Skysat. The contract award is $49 million.
Unmanned aerial vehicles are fair game for U.S. Special Operations Command’s armed overwatch platform competition, Air Force Special Operations Command boss Lt. Gen. James C. “Jim” Slife told reporters on Feb. 26. However, the MQ-9 Reaper drone might not be up to the challenge in its current form, he suggested…