WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Wichita State University students and employees are getting the chance to help protect the president and the country in case of a future national emergency. WSU’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) will be part of the team that designs an aircraft into a command center for the president, secretary of defense, and chairs of the joint chiefs of staff.
The U.S. Air Force wants a newer version of its current E-4B “Nightwatch” aircraft fleet, which entered service in 1974. The Air Force chose Sierra Nevada Company (SNC) to modernize and deliver a replacement for the fleet. The Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) contract is a multi-billion-dollar award.
During a news conference in Wichita on Monday, SNC announced it has chosen NIAR as a partner in the project.