Nevada
Sierra Nevada Corp gets $13B Air Force contract for Doomsday plane
SPARKS, Nev. (KOLO) -The Sparks-based Sierra Nevada Corp. reported the U.S. Air Force awarded it a $13 billion contract to develop the next generation of the so-called Doomsday plane that can survive a nuclear war.
SNC shared an industry report that indicated the contract for the Survivable Airborne Operations Center should run through July 2036.
This program will replace the four E-4B planes developed in the 1970s that transport the defense secretary but can also act as a mobile nuclear command and control outpost during a national emergency. The Air Force keeps one in the air at all times.
Work on the plane will be done in Nevada, Colorado and Ohio.
Reuters reported in December that the Air Force eliminated Boeing as a potential bidder in the project.
Aviation Week reported SNC’s version will likely be a used Boeing 747 and that it aims to build eight aircraft.
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