The US Air Force has awarded a $13 billion contract to Sierra Nevada Corporation to develop a successor to the E-4B “Doomsday” plane.
The E-4B is a modified Boeing 747 that functions as an airborne command post and communications center, designed to withstand a nuclear strike and allow military commanders to direct forces in the event of war.
The aging E-4B fleet is approaching the end of its service life in the early 2030s, so the Air Force is seeking to replace it.
The new aircraft will be called the Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC). Sierra Nevada will develop it over the next 12 years through 2036.
The SAOC will use a commercial jet as its base and modify it to meet military requirements. Work will take place in Colorado, Nevada and Ohio.
The $13 billion contract award was announced on April 26, 2024. The SAOC is intended to provide the same doomsday plane capabilities as the aging E-4B it will replace.
Source: reuters
