Sierra Nevada Corp Prepares to Upgrade U.S. Air Force's 'Doomsday' Plane Under $13 Billion Contract

Nevada: Sierra Nevada Corp. (SNC) is gearing up to receive its first commercial passenger jet to be converted into the U.S. Air Force’s new “doomsday” planes, marking a significant milestone for the defence contractor. Brady Hauboldt, SNC’s vice president of business development, revealed on May 29 that the first of five Boeing 747-8 aircraft, set to become the Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC), will arrive at their Dayton, Ohio facility this summer.  

The SAOC is slated to replace the ageing E-4B Nightwatch aircraft, which have served since the 1970s. These new planes will ensure the continuation of military command and control in the event of a nuclear war or other catastrophic scenarios. The U.S. Air Force, which currently operates four E-4Bs, awarded SNC a $13 billion contract in April to develop the SAOC, aiming for a complete transition by July 2036. This contract is the largest in SNC’s history and is expected to pave the way for more significant opportunities in the future.  

Additional hangars and support facilities  

SNC has been focusing on substantial growth, investing heavily in digital engineering tools, new infrastructure, and facilities. The Aviation Innovation and Technology Center in Dayton, Ohio, which includes large hangars for modifying the 747s into SAOCs, is a testament to this effort. The first hangar opened a year and a half ago, with the second expected to be completed this summer. Additional hangars and support facilities will follow.

Developmental engineering for the SAOC will primarily take place at SNC’s Denver, Colorado facility, with other offices being established in locations like Dallas, Texas. This expansion allows SNC to tap into a wider hiring pool, expecting to add about 1,000 workers to the program. Hauboldt emphasized that these investments have positioned SNC to handle a project of SAOC's magnitude.  

Extensive structural modifications  

SNC plans to purchase five Boeing 747-8 planes from Korean Air for the SAOC project, with the last delivery scheduled for September 2025. These aircraft, delivered in 2015, are in excellent condition. SNC will use a fully digital process for the SAOC design, with the Air Force owning the digital models. This open-system architecture will facilitate future upgrades.  

The transformation of the 747s will involve extensive structural modifications, including the installation of communication antennas, mission systems, and radiation shielding. Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works will be subcontracted for the radiation hardening work, leveraging their expertise in integrating advanced capabilities on airframes. The planes will retain their General Electric GEnx-2B engines, with Rolls-Royce providing auxiliary power systems. Collins Aerospace will also contribute to building the SAOC, drawing on its leadership in nuclear command, control, and communications systems.  

The SAOC will benefit from modern, user-friendly technologies and an open-architecture structure, addressing the Air Force’s focus on reducing life-cycle costs. The high maintenance cost of the E-4B prompted SNC to offer a robust data rights package, facilitating cost-effective sustainment and modification of the aircraft. This approach could potentially allow other companies to compete for the program’s sustainment contract, but SNC is confident in its ability to maintain the job efficiently.   

Hauboldt highlighted the long-term benefits of obtaining data rights for SAOC, ensuring cost-efficiency for the U.S. Air Force and the Department of Defense. SNC’s willingness to meet the Air Force’s requirements for data rights is expected to yield significant dividends for decades to come.