Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) announced a strategic partnership with SNC, the global aerospace and national security company, today at NIAR’s MRO hangar at Air Capital Flight Line in Wichita.

The partnership is part of the U.S. Air Force’s Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) contract. The event was attended by Jon Piatt, executive vice president for SNC, and U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan). 

In support of the SAOC program, one of two 747-8i aircraft has recently arrived in Wichita from SNC’s Aviation Innovation and Technology Center (AITC) in Dayton, Ohio. Delivery of the aircraft signifies the next phase of SAOC engineering and manufacturing development since the contract award in April 2024.

Under the USAF’s SAOC award, SNC will modernize and deliver a replacement for the current fleet of E-4B “Nightwatch” aircraft, which entered service in 1974. This highly specialized aircraft serves as an airborne command center for the president of the United States, secretary of defense, and chairs of the joint chiefs of staff to ensure continued critical command, control and communication during national emergencies.

NIAR’s experience in composites and advanced materials, digital twin, advanced manufacturing technologies such as additive manufacturing, aircraft and component testing, and certification will enhance SNC’s ability to deliver a cutting-edge, innovative solution to the USAF. 

“Our customers have asked for, and need, true open architecture systems solutions. Solutions free from constraints of intellectual property (IP) restrictions and that can be digitally twinned, in order to break vendor lock and reduce life cycle costs for important mission platforms such as the SAOC program,” said Piatt. “SNC’s expertise in commercial-derivative aircraft modification and open systems design architecture complement NIAR’s extensive digital modeling resources and talented Aerospace Engineering workforce. We look forward to what this strategic partnership holds for this important program and others to follow.”

“SAOC is a critical program that will ensure our nation is adequately prepared to ensure unfaltering communication during a national emergency,” said John Tomblin, WSU executive vice president for WSU Research and Industry and Defense Programs and NIAR executive director. “This is the most significant industry contract in the history of the university.”

“The partnership between NIAR and SNC will modernize and replace outdated aircraft that are vital to the operations of the United States Air Force,” said Moran. “I look forward to seeing NIAR’s experience in advanced, cutting-edge technology enhance the design of SNC’s innovative aircraft remodeling as these two companies work to make our country more secure.”

The USAF’s selection of SNC for the SAOC program marked one of the largest aircraft modernization contracts awarded to a company other than the original aircraft manufacturer (OEM), indicating a new acquisition approach that truly prioritizes open systems and fosters innovation, speed and life cycle cost competitiveness. SNC has championed this change as one of the only private mid-tier A&D prime contractors. Throughout its 60-year history, SNC has continually worked to expand the industrial base and deliver OA solutions across domains.

The SNC-led SAOC team also includes global A&D industry leaders Collins Aerospace, GE Aerospace, Greenpoint Technologies Inc., Lockheed Martin Skunk Works®, NIAR and Rolls-Royce. This team of agile and proven performers harnesses its respective expertise to bring innovation, speed with discipline, impeccable engineering and on-cost and accelerated deliveries to recapitalize the aged E-4B fleet with next-generation NC3 capabilities.

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Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling more than 23,000 students between its main campus and WSU Tech, including students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.

Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students.

The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.

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The National Institute for Aviation Research at Wichita State University provides research, design, testing, certification and training to the aviation, defense, manufacturing, and related industries. NIAR has a $400 million annual budget, a staff of 1,600 and nearly two million square feet of laboratory and office space in six locations across the city of Wichita, the Air Capital of the World. Core competencies include Industrial Modernization of Materials and Manufacturing; Digital Transformation and Sustainment Modernization; Test and Evaluation; Engineering, Certification, Modification and Prototyping; System Automation and Digital Manufacturing. NIAR is a department within the division of Industry and Defense Programs at Wichita State. wichita.edu/niar

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SNC is a trusted global leader in aerospace and national security. Our innovative solutions enable connected protection through command, control and communications systems, as well as ISR, cyber, electronic spectrum management, and other high capabilities for national security systems across all domains – sea, land, air, space and cyber. SNC is a next-generation prime at the optimum intersection of commercial, defense and non-traditional contractors. We are one of the only privately owned mid-tier A&D prime contractors and we pride ourselves on our ability to invest early and often to ensure mission success on or ahead of schedule. It’s part of our mission to always stay one step ahead; working on solutions today to solve the problems of tomorrow. Founded in 1963, SNC is owned by Chairwoman Eren Ozmen and CEO Fatih Ozmen. sncorp.com