Both of the Air Force’s Battlefield Airborne Communications Node-equipped aircraft have received new designations intended to reflect BACN’s “special electronic mission,” announced Northrop Grumman. The Bombardier Global Express BD-700, which is used as an overhead communication’s relay platform in Southwest Asia, has been designed the E-11A, while the BACN-modified Global Hawks will now be known as EQ-4Bs, according to a Northrop Grumman release. “This new designation of the manned and unmanned BACN aircraft reflects a unique aircraft mix that provides theater commanders complimentary capabilities to support the BACN missions,” said Claude Hashem, vice president and general manager of Northrop’s Network Communications Systems business. “The E-11A business jets provide rapid tactical deployment options, while the EQ-4B unmanned systems provide long endurance and unsurpassed persistence capabilities.” The Air Force awarded Northrop a $43 million, five-month contract extension in September to operate, support, and maintain the services two E-11As and to operate and maintain the BACN payload, according to the release.
President Donald Trump’s nominee for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff touted his highly unusual background for the job as an asset and reaffirmed his commitment to stay apolitical during a confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on April 1.