SNC Wins U.S. Air Force Contract to Develop Next-Gen Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) Aircraft

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (May 22, 2024) – SNC, the global aerospace and defense company known for its elite mission systems integration expertise, has been selected by the U.S. Air Force for its Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) contract. Under the multi-billion-dollar award, SNC will modernize and deliver a replacement for the USAF’s current fleet of E-4B “Nightwatch” aircraft. 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.

The USAF’s selection of SNC marks one of the largest aircraft modernization contracts awarded to a company other than the original aircraft manufacturer (OEM) and indicates a new acquisition approach that prioritizes open systems which fosters innovation, speed and 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 truly open architecture (OA) solutions across domains, including sea, land, air, space and cyber. SNC now applies this tenacity and expertise to SAOC.

“SNC has built a reputation as a trusted partner in delivering transformative solutions that help safeguard freedom,” said SNC CEO and owner Fatih Ozmen. “With a focus on open architecture, our SAOC proposal concentrated on providing the services we are widely known for: best-of-breed innovative solutions. We are ready and excited for the opportunity to design the mobile command center of the future.” 

SNC’s commitment to staying one step ahead of evolving threats, combined with its digital-first approach rooted in model-based systems engineering (MBSE), means SNC can expertly fill gaps to build this capability. MBSE allows SNC to integrate leading technologies and quickly return to service nearly any aircraft. This approach allows the customer to leverage best-of-breed solutions and significantly reduce life cycle sustainment and modification schedule. Opening competition also encourages growth and innovation, expands the industrial base and helps re-establish the disappearing mid-tier. 

“Our successful SAOC bid is a direct result of the long-term strategic vision of SNC’s owners and our extraordinary team of engineers, program managers, technicians and leaders who possess the ingenuity and know-how to develop a solution tailor-made for the mission at hand,” said Mark C. Williams, SNC’s senior vice president of strategy. “The team’s rapid and innovative efforts were instrumental in SNC’s superb technical and best-value SAOC approach, and their excellence will continue to be at the forefront as we work with the U.S. Air Force to deliver this essential capability.” 

The SNC-led SAOC team includes global A&D industry leaders Collins Aerospace, GE Aerospace, Greenpoint Technologies Inc., Lockheed Martin Skunk Works® 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 capabilities. The work will be performed largely at SNC’s Dayton, Ohio, and Denver, Colorado, facilities.

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About SNC

SNC is a trusted global technology leader in aerospace and national security. Our innovative solutions enable connected protection through command, control and communications systems, as well as ISR, cyber, electromagnetic spectrum management, and other high-tech capabilities across all domains – sea, land, air, space and cyber. SNC is a next-generation prime at the optimum intersection of commercial, defense and non-traditional contractors. We are one of the only privately owned mid-tier A&D prime contractors and we pride ourselves on our ability to invest early and often to ensure mission success on or ahead of schedule. It’s part of our mission to always stay one step ahead; working on solutions today to solve the problems of tomorrow. Founded in 1963, SNC is owned by Chairwoman Eren Ozmen and CEO Fatih Ozmen.

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