Northrop Grumman [NOC] said on Oct. 17 that the U.S. Air Force has chosen the company to support E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) aircraft at their first base in the continental United States–Robins AFB, Ga.
In February, the Air Force activated the 18th Airborne Command and Control Squadron at Robins to fly BACN. The squadron under the 319th Reconnaissance Wing at Grand Forks, N.D. is expected be fully operational by fiscal year 2027.
Northrop Grumman said that its support awards from the Air Force include home station activation to establish the BACN ground and payload operations and support at Robins; training for Air Force personnel to operate the BACN payload and platform; global sustainment and operations for worldwide deployment of the aircraft and payload; and modernization with Ka-Band Satellite Communication upgrades overseas “which will enable new missions for the warfighter, enhance command and control beyond line-of- sight to nearly global coverage and provide highly resilient communications with increased bandwidth and quality of service.”
The BACN planes are Bombardier
Global 6000s, which, once outfitted with a Northrop Grumman communications package, become E-11As in the Air Force inventory.
“BACN technology reduces line-of-sight issues by enabling real-time information flow across the battlespace between similar and dissimilar tactical data link and voice systems through relay, bridging, and data translation,” the Air Force has said. “Because of its flexible deployment options and ability to operate at high altitudes, BACN allows air and surface forces to overcome communications difficulties caused by mountains, rough terrain, or distance.”
In January 2021 the Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman a BACN operations and sustainment contract worth up to $3.6 billion.
The BACN payload has had extensive combat field time since deployment began on Global Hawk drones in October 2008, Northrop Grumman has said (Defense Daily, Apr. 22, 2022).