Mentioned:Outerlink Global Solutions$26M · Contract Award
Air Force Global Strike Command has fielded IRIS, a prototype beyond-line-of-sight communications system developed by Outerlink Global Solutions, on B-52H bombers. The system, funded through a $26 million Strategic Funding Increase contract awarded in 2023, became operationally ready by April 2026.
What's happening
- IRIS integrates a satellite communication terminal with ground components and enables B-52 crews to maintain connectivity via Iridium's CERTUS broadband service powered by low-Earth orbit satellites.
- Air Force Global Strike Command equipped multiple B-52s with IRIS kits and delivered them to the 49th Test and Evaluation Squadron by April 2026 for training and operational employment.
- The system transitioned from an early 2022 aerial demonstration at Barksdale Air Force Base through an AFWERX Small Business Innovation Research Phase II contract to the $26 million Strategic Funding Increase contract in 2023.
Why it matters
- B-52 crews gain reliable long-range strike capability in contested environments where traditional line-of-sight communications may fail, addressing a critical gap in the 60-year-old airframe's modernization.
- Rapid fielding of IRIS demonstrates the Air Force's accelerated acquisition model for urgent operational needs, reducing time from prototype demonstration to operational deployment to approximately 4 years.
- Satellite-based comms enable B-52s to maintain mission flexibility and information-sharing capabilities during sustained global operations, supporting the bomber's extended service life through the 2050s.
Going deeper
- IRIS development leveraged partnerships between Global Strike Command's rapid capabilities division, the 49th Test and Evaluation Squadron, the B-52 System Program Office, and the 307th Bomb Wing to define requirements and validate operational utility.
- Testing from March through April 2026 confirmed the system could maintain reliable connectivity during flight operations and achieve technical maturity sufficient for operational use, though IRIS remains in prototype status with ongoing evaluation planned.
Financial impact
- Outerlink Global Solutions recognized $26 million in obligated contract value from the Strategic Funding Increase award in fiscal 2023, with revenue recognition occurring across development, integration, testing, and fielding phases through April 2026.
- The Air Force's investment in IRIS as a rapid capability program reduces the need for larger, longer-development modernization efforts for B-52 communications, potentially deferring or reducing future capital commitments to alternative satcom architectures.
The fine print
- IRIS remains a prototype system; Global Strike Command intends to conduct additional testing and evaluation as the system matures in operational service.
- The $26 million Strategic Funding Increase contract represents Global Strike Command's first such deal, indicating this was an experimental acquisition approach for the command.
Source: airandspaceforces.com · Oct 2, 2026 · Drafted with Claude, reviewed by Industrial Base Alpha.