Sierra Nevada Survivable Airborne Operations Center - E-4B replacement

[RavenOne]

For some bizarre reason when I was going to say Sierra Nevada has the answers, was thinking of the Smarties commerical of the 80s Only smarties have the answer” lol.

Anyhow interesting decision and article

Job Of Building The Air Force's Next Doomsday Planes Falls To Sierra Nevada Corp.

The Survivable Airborne Operations Center aircraft will replace the USAF's highly specialized 747-based E-4B strategic command post jets.

www.twz.com

Cheers

 

[Grey Havoc]

Sierra Nevada wins $13B contract to build Air Force ‘doomsday plane’

The Air Force's E-4B, which the president would use to direct forces during nuclear war, is nearing the end of its life and will be replaced by the SAOC.

www.defensenews.com

The Air Force said Sierra Nevada will build SAOC out of a hardened and modified version of a commercial derivative aircraft. And it will use a modular open system approach to include modern secure communication and planning capabilities.

I suspect that that will be easier said than done.

 

[fightingirish]

[...]
I suspect that that will be easier said than done.

I am also very sceptical about this future Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC), based on a Boeing 747-8.
Source:

Sierra Nevada Corporation Will Build E-4B ‘Doomsday’ Plane Replacement

The new commercial derivative aircraft will replace the 1970s’ E-4B Nightwatch in the National Emergency Airborne Command Post role. Sierra Nevada

theaviationist.com

 

[publiusr]

They know nothing of the 747

 

[Byeman]

They know nothing of the 747

Meaningless. See E-8. T-38 cockpit upgrade. EF-111

 

[Archibald]

Not sure Boeing knows a lot about... Boeings, nowadays (half joking !)

 

[serg.gonzp]

I am also very sceptical about this future Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC), based on a Boeing 747-8.
Source:

Sierra Nevada Corporation Will Build E-4B ‘Doomsday’ Plane Replacement

The new commercial derivative aircraft will replace the 1970s’ E-4B Nightwatch in the National Emergency Airborne Command Post role. Sierra Nevada

theaviationist.com

I have the same opinion, I think it will be based on some variant of the 777 instead of the 747-8

 

[Byeman]

I have the same opinion, I think it will be based on some variant of the 777 instead of the 747-8

Need power and more redundancy than a two engine airplane. And can get 747-8 cheaply.

 

[TomS]

I have the same opinion, I think it will be based on some variant of the 777 instead of the 747-8

The solicitation apparently specified four engines. That doesn't leave a lot of options and A340s are too old, so 747-800 is pretty much the only option.

 

[Desertfox]

But are there 12 low-mileage 737-800s out there?

 

[publiusr]

Four engines to blow up the world, two for the rest of us pions.

 

[TomS]

But are there 12 low-mileage 737-800s out there?

I think it's just 8-10, and probably yes. I would expect that they have identified specific airframes as part of their bid, because otherwise that would be very high risk. At least one source says that they are taking the Korean Air 747-8i fleet, which is slated to be retired in a few years anyway.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1784436715496870119

View: https://twitter.com/avgeekjake/status/1784436715496870119

 

[Scott Kenny]

Sierra Nevada wins $13B contract to build Air Force ‘doomsday plane’

The Air Force's E-4B, which the president would use to direct forces during nuclear war, is nearing the end of its life and will be replaced by the SAOC.

www.defensenews.com

I suspect that that will be easier said than done.

One advantage of buying the KAL 747-8is is they will have been through at least one major phase check, so no rude surprises like the mini-bottles on AF1-to-be (and all the re-inspections around where they were found causing delays and stupid amounts of money).

There probably will be some major repairs to happen on the cargo deck stringers, those get beat to hell on planes. But when you're doing a total rebuild like this, you can just replace the entire damaged floor stringer instead of cutting and splicing in new sections. Pretty sure Boeing uses the same extruded cargo floor stringers on everything. 727 and 737s did, so I'd expect 707s and 757s as well. 747 and 767 have a wider cargo bay but the same floor loading, so it makes sense to use the same stringers at the same spacing. I'd assume 777s are the same way, but those were just entering service when I was working on planes so I never saw the insides.

 

[fightingirish]

Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) released more concept images of the Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC).
IMHO, just wait and see, where the real SAOC and the VC-25B will have the refueling receptacle and other features.
Link:

E-4B Doomsday Plane Replacement Concept Art Has Some Interesting Features

The Survivable Airborne Operations Center concept from Sierra Nevada Corp. has major similarities and differences with its E-4B predecessor.

www.twz.com