The US Air Force has ordered 175 BRU57 Smart Bomb Racks for F-16 fighters from EDO Corporation. These racks allow two smart bombs (up to 1,000 pounds each) to be carried on one hard point. This doubles the number of bombs an aircraft can carry. With smart bombs, it has been found that you don't need as large a bomb, so these racks allow more, but smaller, bombs to be carried. The Air Force does not expect the announced cuts in the B-1B bomber force to take place until next year; they will be examined as part of the Quadrennial Defense Review.--Stephen V Cole