SNC Marks Successful SAOC Contract Milestone with Flight of First Aircraft to National Institute of Aviation Research

WICHITA, Kan. (Dec. 2, 2024) – SNC, the global aerospace and national security company known for its elite mission systems integration expertise, announced today completion of another key milestone under the U.S. Air Force’s survivable airborne operations center (SAOC) contract. In support of the SAOC program, a 747-8i aircraft was transferred from SNC’s Aviation Innovation and Technology Center (AITC) in Dayton, Ohio, to Wichita State University’s National Institute of Aviation Research (NIAR) in Wichita, Kansas. Delivery of the aircraft signifies the next phase of SAOC engineering and manufacturing development since contract award in April 2024. 

Under the USAF’s SAOC award, SNC will modernize and deliver a replacement for the current fleet of E-4B “Nightwatch” aircraft, which entered service in 1974. This highly specialized aircraft serves as an airborne command center for the President (POTUS), Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) and Chairs of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) to ensure continued critical command, control and communication (C3) during national emergencies. 

SNC has strategically partnered with Wichita State University’s NIAR team to capitalize on its globally recognized expertise in the most critical areas of aerospace research and development to deliver a cutting-edge, innovative solution to the USAF. NIAR’s experience in composites and advanced materials, digital twin, advanced manufacturing technologies such as additive manufacturing, aircraft and component testing, and certification makes it a great addition to the SNC-led SAOC team. 

“Our customers have asked for an open architecture (OA) solution, digitally twinned, in order to reduce life cycle costs for this important mission,” said Jon Piatt, Executive Vice President at SNC. “SNC’s expertise in commercial-derivative aircraft modification and open systems architecture complement well NIAR’s digital modeling and other capabilities.” 

In October, SNC celebrated significant growth at its AITC by cutting the ribbon on a second state-of-the-art hangar and simultaneously breaking ground on two additional hangars in support of continuing work on the SAOC contract and other large aircraft modification projects. SNC then took prompt delivery of a second 747-8i aircraft at the AITC under the SAOC program. That milestone enabled SNC to release the first aircraft to NIAR to begin its work.

The USAF’s selection of SNC for the SAOC program marked one of the largest aircraft modernization contracts awarded to a company other than the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), indicating a new acquisition approach that truly prioritizes open systems and fosters innovation, speed and life cycle cost competitiveness. SNC has championed this change as one of the only private mid-tier A&D prime contractors. Throughout its 60-year history, SNC has continually worked to expand the industrial base and deliver OA solutions across domains. 

The SNC-led SAOC team also includes global A&D industry leaders Collins Aerospace, GE Aerospace, Greenpoint Technologies Inc., Lockheed Martin Skunk Works^® , NIAR and Rolls-Royce. This team of agile and proven performers harness their respective expertise to bring innovation, speed with discipline, impeccable engineering and on-cost and accelerated deliveries to recapitalize the aged E-4B fleet with next-generation NC3 capabilities. 

For more information, visit www.sncorp.com.