US Air Force, FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE: A KC-135 Stratotanker here was fitted with upgraded communications equipment recently which will revolutionize battle space and the way the United States and its allies fight wars.
After 18 months on the drawing board, the Roll-On Beyond Line-of-Sight Enhancement Spiral 2 program, ROBE, has been fitted to the first KC-135 and will undergo testing at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
This system will allow allied forces in the battle zones near-real-time communications with any headquarters across the globe. This will give commanders a better picture of the battlespace and could potentially lead to more timely decisions and more effective operations.
The system was originally envisioned by Gen. John P. Jumper, former chief of staff of the Air Force, who felt that tankers orbiting and refueling over hot zones could be used for other purposes, said Catherine Meyn, ROBE program manager. The research resulted in ROBE.
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