...and It's Not a Tanker

The U.S. Air Force has awarded Boeing a contract to purchase a 767-400 ER that will be used as a testbed for the new E-10A program, also known as the Multi-sensor Command and Control Aircraft program. It won't cost more than $126 million; and it may cost a few pennies less. Boeing Air Force Systems received the sole-source contract through the Air Force’s Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson AFB (OH).

Boeing will build the aircraft at its plant in Everett (WA), with delivery scheduled for December 2005. The 767-400 ER testbed will be modified to the E-10A configuration at Northrop Grumman’s facility in Lake Charles (LA). The contract period of performance extends to December 2008 with additional testbed support beyond the aircraft delivery.

"Using the 767 platform and following the FAA certification process aligns with the government’s intent to leverage the commercial support system to the maximum extent possible," said Jim Dodd. Boeing E-10A program manager. More than 800 767s are in service worldwide.

This contract is the latest major milestone for the Air Force’s next-generation airborne ground surveillance and battle management and command and control program. Last May, the Northrop Grumman, Boeing and Raytheon E-10A team was awarded a Weapons System Integration contract for E-10A’s Increment 1, which is underway with pre-system development and demonstration work.

FMI: www.boeing.com; www.af.mil