The Air Force has terminated the low-band subsystem portion of its airborne intelligence enhancement program. (The high-band portion, run by TRW, is focused on radar intelligence. It is on schedule and on budget and is not affected.) The Air Force said that the low-band component of the system had, for the fourth time, fallen behind schedule and run over budget. The original $76 million cost estimate had climbed to $266 million, and deliveries were delayed to Feb 2002. Even worse, the contractor (British Aerospace Systems) was "unable to instill any confidence" in the Air Force that such delays and cost overruns were at an end. The low-band system was to have been used by EP3s and by RC-135s. The Air Force says that the need for such a system remains vital and it is studying other ways to obtain it.--Stephen V Cole