PAE Aviation Wins Contract for Missile Testing Upkeep on F-35, F-22

PAE Aviation and Technical Services has received a nearly $15 million US Air Force contract to maintain aerial-target instrument systems in the testing of air-to-air missiles for F-22, F-35, F-16 and F-15 combat jets, the Department of Defense said.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Since its introduction in 2006, the F-35 has been criticized as a failure and plagued with multiple problems, including with its logistics systems, avionics processors, landing gear and fuel tank design. The cost of the F-35 program is projected to exceed $1 trillion.

“PAE Aviation and Technical Services [of] Marlton, New Jersey was awarded a $14.9 million modification…contract,” the announcement on Tuesday stated.

It added that the company will provide maintenance of aerial targets and range-instrumentation systems at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, and of full-scale aerial targets at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico for the Air Combat Command Acquisition Management and Integration Center.

Live-fire weapons testing is conducted out at those bases by the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group for all Air Force air-to-air missiles and for combat aircraft, the Defense Department explained.