US Air Force Awards $205Mln for Weapons, Cybersecurity Support

US-based Jacobs Engineering has received a $205 million contract to provide information technology support for weapons and computer systems to the Air Force’s 53rd Air Wing which is responsible for operational testing and evaluation of new equipment and systems, the engineering contractor said in a statement on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The 53rd Wing is located at Eglin Air Force Base in the US State of Florida. It is the site for Air Force and Navy Combat Air Forces test and evaluation of next generation equipment and systems requested by aviation units.

"Services detailed in the [$204.9 million] task order includes weapon systems engineering and integration solutions, network solutions, test and evaluation network support, cyber security, software and operational test and evaluation support," the statement read. "It also includes support to related Department of Defense agency military operations, including the Foreign Partners and Foreign Military Sales defense programs."

Personnel at Eglin evaluate and test self-protection systems for combat aircraft, aircrew life support systems, aerial reconnaissance improvements, new armament and weapons delivery systems, and new maintenance equipment and logistics technologies.

The 53rd Air Wing runs testing of combat aircraft that carry and launch precision air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons. It manages Combat Air Force's Weapons System Evaluation Programs, the live air-to-air missile firing of Combat Archer and the air-to-ground bomb drops of Combat Hammer.