Navy awards contract for E-6B wideband enhancement

The Navy has awarded a $10.2 million contract to Rockwell Collins Inc. to provide engineering and technical services to upgrade the wideband capabilities of the E-6B command, control and communications aircraft.

The aerospace contractor will provide engineering, installation and testing in support of phase four of the IP bandwidth expansion (IPBE) program for the E-6B aircraft, the Defense Department announced March 26. Options could raise the total value to nearly $18 million, DOD said.

IPBE phase four entails the install of the Digital Northstar System (DNS) on the E-6B, which provides the aircraft with the necessary interoperability and proper configuration to communicate with DNS ground sites, DOD said.

The E-6B aircraft serves as an airborne command post providing links to the Navy’s ballistic missile submarine force, according to GlobalSecurity.org.

The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.