MIXED SIGNALS.

The article reports that Boeing Co. is polishing the design of an EP-3-replacement signals intelligence aircraft for use by the U.S. Navy and possibly for the export market. Moreover, the airframe builder believes the new airplane could appeal across service lines, perhaps to the U.S. Air Force, which some Pentagon critics contend is not focusing on keeping its lead in state-of-the-art intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems. Raytheon Co. has designed and built Britain's Astor ground surveillance aircraft from Bombardier's Global Express. The 737-derivative sigint aircraft is being presented in response to the death of the Army/Navy ACS contract, a product of Lockheed Martin Corp.