Electronic Weapons: April 14, 2001

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Senior U.S. commanders are calling for more equipment to increase their communications, intelligence and reconnaissance capabilities. With a growing number of threats likely to pop up over a wider area, commanders need these new capabilities to be able to cope. Terrorists, rebels and restive populations all are capable to turning a trouble spot into a hot spot that will get media attention, followed by demands that America "do something." Commanders want to have a better idea of what they may be getting into that that will require better communications, intelligence and reconnaissance gear. An example of this is a project to upgrade and standardize the three services electronic recon aircraft (the navy one is the EP-3.) The air force and navy want to use a more modern jet transport (the Boeing 767) and all three want to coordinate their software and communications so they can more rapidly share information.