NEW DELHI: Sierra Nevada Corporation has been awarded a monumental $13 billion contract to develop and produce the new Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC), which will replace the US Air Force’s aging fleet of E-4B Nightwatch aircraft, colloquially known as “doomsday planes.” The announcement was made by the Department of the Air Force, highlighting the significant step towards modernizing the nation’s nuclear command and control capabilities.
As per a Defense News report, the E-4B aircraft, which currently serves as the National Airborne Operations Center, is designed to enable the President and other national leaders to manage military operations during a nuclear war or other catastrophic scenarios when ground command centers might be incapacitated. These aircraft have been in service since the 1970s and are nearing the end of their operational lifespan.
Under the terms of the new contract, Sierra Nevada will be responsible for the delivery of both engineering and manufacturing development aircraft and production aircraft, along with associated ground systems and interim contract support by July 10, 2036. The initial funding release for the project includes $59 million dedicated to research, development, test, and evaluation to kickstart the SAOC development.
An Air Force spokesperson emphasized the significance of the SAOC project, stating, “The development of this critical national security weapon system ensures the department’s nuclear command, control, and communications capability is operationally relevant and secure for decades to come.”
The SAOC will be constructed using a hardened, modified version of a commercial derivative aircraft equipped with a modular open system approach. This design strategy will incorporate modern, secure communication and planning capabilities. The ground support system for the SAOC will feature training equipment for aircrews, mission crews, and maintainers, along with necessary support equipment and system integration laboratories, the Defense News report said.
Work on the SAOC will be performed across multiple locations, including Englewood, Colorado; Sparks, Nevada; Beavercreek, Ohio; and Vandalia, Ohio. The contract includes various cost mechanisms such as cost-plus-incentive-fee, fixed-price incentive, and cost-plus-fixed-fee components, ensuring comprehensive financial oversight and incentivization throughout the development process.
This contract not only signifies a pivotal upgrade to America’s military capabilities but also showcases Sierra Nevada Corporation’s leading role in aerospace innovation and national defense infrastructure.
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