Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC)

Abstract

The Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) 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. SAOC will provide POTUS, SECDEF and the CJCS a worldwide, survivable, and enduring node of the National Military Command System (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 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 enable the exercise of authority and direction by the President to command and control US military nuclear weapons operations. Program funding includes funds for requirements to support program office operations, management services (Federally Funded Research and Development Centers [FFRDC], Advisory and Assistance Services [A&AS], etc.), Program Management Support (PMS), security, facilities, prototyping, equipment, and to integrate Digital Engineering and other required program office capabilities. Funding will also support all activities required to award and execute development contract(s) for the SAOC Weapon System to include test activities and prototype development, sustainment, and integration of NC3 and other DoD/AF programs into the SAOC weapon system. 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 0605827F, 0605828F, 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605832F, 0605833F, 0605898F, 0606398F. In FY22 $1.950M was expended for civilian pay expenses in this program element, and in FY23 $4.282M 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, 2024
• Source ID: 646507_0604288F_4_3600_PB_2024

Tags

Readers

• Emergency Management and Homeland Security.
• Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
• Military Science and Technology Research and Modernization.

Technology Areas

• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control