The Boeing Company has been awarded a $28.8 million sole-source U.S. Navy contract to upgrade the service’s fleet of 16 E-6B airborne command, control and communications aircraft. In support of ongoing E6-B spiral development activities, the first phase of the Internet Protocol Bandwidth Expansion program will use commercial-off-the-shelf technology to increase the aircraft’s wideband communications capabilities, allowing for real-time data transmission on the jet. Work on the first aircraft will be completed in 2010.
The E-6B is a modified Boeing 707 that provides survivable, durable and reliable airborne command, control and communications in support of the president, secretary of defense and U.S. Strategic Command.
The E-6B program reports to Integrated Defense Systems Support Systems’ Special Air Mission (SAM) organization, which modifies executive transport aircraft for U.S. government and military customers.
