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2w ago

Sierra Nevada Starts E-4C SAOC Flight Tests After Aug. 7 Inaugural Sortie

The campaign supports nuclear command modernization with a 747-8–based replacement for the aging E-4B fleet.

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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 confirmed the first flight on Aug. 7 in Dayton, Ohio, with flight and ground testing to continue into 2026 in Dayton and Wichita to establish the technical design baseline.
  • SNC says early sorties are intended to reduce engineering risk and keep deliveries on schedule under the $13 billion contract awarded in 2024.
  • The Air Force has not disclosed the final number of aircraft, while four E-4B Nightwatch jets with an average age above 51 years remain in service.
  • SNC has four 747-8I airframes at its Dayton facility for conversion and has purchased additional used jets from Korean Air, with GE upgrading GEnx-2B engines.
  • Delivery of the full E-4C fleet is planned by 2036 as part of broader NC3 modernization.