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2w ago

Sierra Nevada Begins Flight Tests for E‑4C Nuclear Command Jet

Early testing runs into 2026 to lock the design under a $13 billion Air Force contract.

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A U.S. Air Force E-4B assigned to the 595th Command and Control Group, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., flies on a training sortie over the Midwest, May, 15, 2024.
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Overview

  • SNC said on Sept. 3 it has launched the E-4C flight-test campaign, with the inaugural sortie conducted on Aug. 7.
  • Test and development work will occur primarily in Dayton, Ohio and Wichita, Kansas as part of risk reduction and baseline validation.
  • SNC is modifying four 747-8I airframes in Dayton and previously arranged additional 747-8 purchases, including a deal with Korean Air.
  • GE Aerospace holds a contract to overhaul and upgrade GEnx‑2B engines that power the 747‑8-based platform.
  • The Air Force has not disclosed the final fleet size; the legacy E-4B fleet numbers four aircraft averaging more than 51 years old, and full E-4C delivery is scheduled by 2036.