Survivable Airborne Operations Center

The Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC), E-4C, replaces 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 provides the President of the United States (POTUS), the Secretary of War (SECWAR), and the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) 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 fulfills the requirements of the Air Force (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 supports all activities required to execute development of the SAOC Weapon System to include system development, integration of NC3 and other Department of War (DoW) AF programs into the SAOC weapon system, test activities, pre-operational product support, and Interim Contractor Support (ICS). Funds also support program office operations, management services (Federally Funded Research and Development Centers [FFRDC], Advisory and Assistance Services [A&AS], etc.), Program Management Administration (PMA), security, facilities, prototyping, equipment, implementation of digital program initiatives, risk mitigation strategies, and other required program office capabilities. The FY 2026 spend plan amount for SAOC RDT&E includes $1,801,300 thousand of discretionary and $64,500 thousand of mandatory (reconciliation) for a total of $1,865,800 thousand. This program element included all necessary expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program elements 0605829F, 0605831F, 0605833F, and 0605898F.