The Air Force awarded Sierra Nevada a $13 billion contract to design and develop the Survivable Airborne Operations Center, a key component of Nuclear Command, Control and Communication modernization, the service announced today. The SAOC design is based around a commercial aircraft that will be modified to meet military requirements and will include secure communications and planning capabilities. SOAC will replace the four E-4B National Airborne Operations Center aircraft. That aircraft was built in the 1970s and is reaching the...
