(Reuters) – The U.S. Air Force said on Friday it has signed a $13 billion contract with Sierra Nevada Corp. to develop a successor to the E-4B, known as the doomsday plane because it can survive a nuclear war.
The Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) project is intended to replace aging 1970s-era aircraft that are nearing the end of their useful lives, an Air Force spokesperson said in a statement.
SAOC work will be performed in Colorado, Nevada and Ohio and is expected to be completed in 2036, the Air Force added.
To meet operational requirements, the weapon system consists of commercially derived jets that are enhanced and modified to meet military requirements.
Reuters reported in December that the U.S. Air Force had eliminated Boeing from the competition to develop a successor to the E-4B Nightwatch.
The E-4B is normally used to transport the U.S. Secretary of Defense, but it is designed as a mobile command post that can withstand nuclear explosions and electromagnetic effects, allowing U.S. leaders to use the military during a national emergency. can give commands to.
The E-4B is also capable of mid-air refueling and is equipped with meeting and briefing rooms and advanced communications equipment.
The Air Force currently operates four E-4B aircraft, with at least one on constant alert. The highly modified Boeing 747-200 jumbo jet has become increasingly difficult and expensive to maintain as its parts age.
The E-4B is expected to reach the end of its useful life in the early 2030s.
(Reporting by Nathan Gomez in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)