Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC)
Abstract
The Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC), formerly known as the E-4B National Airborne Operations Center (NAOC) Recapitalization effort, will replace the aging E-4B fleet which faces capability gaps, diminishing manufacturing sources, increased maintenance costs, and parts obsolescence as it approaches the end of its serviceable life. The recapitalization effort will be informed by Air Force and Department of Defense analyses used to determine a holistic approach to replacing the aging E-4B fleet and capabilities of other nuclear and national command and control mission sets. SAOC will be a survivable node of the National Military Command System (NMCS), providing POTUS, SECDEF and the CJCS a worldwide, survivable, and enduring node of the NMCS to fulfill national security requirements throughout all stages of conflict. As a command, control and communications center directing US forces, executing emergency war orders and coordinating the activities of civil authorities including national contingency plans, this capability ensures continuity of operations plans and continuity of government as required in a national emergency or after negation/destruction of ground command and control centers. SAOC will fulfill the requirements of the AF Nuclear Mission by providing Nuclear Command, Control and Communications (NC3) capabilities to execute Nuclear Command and Control (NC2) Concept of Operations (CONOPS) that enable the exercise of authority and direction by the President to command and control US military nuclear weapon operations. The SAOC baseline operational missions also include Secretary of Defense Global Command and Control (SDGC2), enabling the SecDef to execute command and control responsibilities around the globe, as well as support to Defense Support of Civil Authority (DSCA) providing DoD support to civilian agencies to support emergencies or disasters relief efforts when requested by the Department of Homeland Security and approved by the SecDef or Chairman contingent on platform availability. In FY2019, OSD CAPE initiated a joint service Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) to assess mission sets and platforms across E-4B (NAOC), C-32A (Executive Airlift), and the Navy's E-6B (ABNCP/TACAMO), known as the "NEAT" AoA. The NEAT AoA is complete and OSD CAPE approved and signed the Sufficiency Review on 30 Nov 2020. Furthermore, program funds include funding for emerging requirements to support program office operations, management services (Federally Funded Research and Development Services [FFRDC], Advisory and Assistance Services [A&AS], etc.), Program Management Support (PMS), security, prototyping, equipment and other efforts as required to stand up a program office. Finally, it includes all activities required to award and execute design and prototyping contracts to either a single or multiple vendors; to include provisioning for follow on efforts, such as life-of-type buys and long lead materials for following activities and options. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such programs funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program element 0605831F. In FY20 $0M was expended for civilian pay expenses in this program element, and in FY21 $0.016M is forecasted for civilian pay expenses in this program element. This effort is in Budget Activity 4, Advanced Component Development and Prototypes (ACD&P), because efforts are necessary to evaluate integrated technologies, representative modes or prototype systems in a high fidelity and realistic operating environment.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2022
- Source ID
- 646507_0604288F_4_3600_PB_2022
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