Sierra Nevada Corp. has won a potential $13.1 billion contract from the U.S. Air Force to develop and produce a new aircraft to replace the service branch’s fleet of E-4B National Airborne Operations Center planes, also known as Nightwatch.
The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center conducted a competitive acquisition process and received two offers for the contract to build the Survivable Airborne Operations Center Weapon System aircraft.
The E-4B aircraft is used to transport the defense secretary and can serve as a mobile nuclear command and control outpost.
Under the cost-plus-incentive-fee contract, SNC will deliver engineering and manufacturing development aircraft, production aircraft, associated ground systems and interim contractor support services.
Work on the contract will occur in Colorado, Nevada and Ohio through July 10, 2036.
The service is obligating $59 million in research, development, test and evaluation funds for fiscal year 2024.
In 2019, the Air Force started soliciting information on the SAOC aircraft replacement program.
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