SAOC begins flight testing

The Survivable Airborne Operations Center began flight testing last month, prime contractor SNC announced today.

The company, also called Sierra Nevada Corp., conducted its first flight of the aircraft Aug. 7 and will continue testing as part of its engineering and manufacturing development contract, according to a news release.

The Air Force awarded SNC a $13 billion contract for the aircraft in April 2024.

SNC currently has four Boeing 747-8I jets at its Dayton, OH facility which will be modified to become the E-4C, according to the company.

“Flight and ground testing will continue into 2026 to establish the technical design baseline,” the news release states. “Activities will primarily occur in Dayton, Ohio and Wichita, Kansas. Accomplishing these test activities early in the developmental program was a distinguishing aspect of SNC’s innovative approach to manage risk and avoid problems from arising later in the schedule.”

SAOC is set to replace the E-4B National Airborne Operations Center as part of the Nuclear Command, Control and Communications modernization effort in the Air Force. NAOC was built in the 1970s and is reaching the end of its life, the service has said.

According to SNC, the program has so far met all milestones on schedule.