NIAR's mission is to strengthen university research capabilities; provide applied
learning opportunities for students; and support the aviation and manufacturing industries
– while driving innovation and prosperity for the community, region and state.
As part of the U.S. Air Force’s Survivable Airborne Operations Center contract, Wichita
State University is partnering with SNC to modernize and deliver a new fleet of “Nightwatch” aircraft — the airborne command
center for the president of the United States, secretary of defense, and chairs of
the joint chiefs of staff, ensuring continued critical command, control and communication
during national emergencies.
It is a critical program that will ensure that the United States is adequately prepared
for unfaltering communication during a national emergency.
The contract between WSU’s National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) and SNC,
a global aerospace and national security company, is the most significant industry
contract in the history of the university.
Approximately 400 Wichita State students and staff are expected to work on this project,
which will be conducted at NIAR’s Maintenance Repair and Overhaul facility and the
Partnership 2 building on WSU’s Innovation Campus.
NIAR’s global experience in composites and advanced materials, digital twin, advanced
manufacturing technologies, and certification are uniquely positioned to meet the
goals of this project to enhance SNC’s ability to deliver a cutting-edge, innovative
solution to the USAF. The fleet of aircraft being modernized first entered service
in 1974.
One of two 747-8i aircraft recently arrived in Wichita from SNC’s Aviation Innovation
and Technology Center in Dayton, Ohio.
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.
