The contract, which includes engineering and modification work, represents a potential total value of close to USD 465 million.
3 June 2021: Bombardier has signed an agreement with its Learjet subsidiary and US Air Force in support of the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) program. The Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract provides the USAF with flexible ordering and includes an immediate firm order for one Global 6000 aircraft, with as many as five additional Global 6000 aircraft. The contract, which includes engineering and modification work, represents a potential total value of close to USD 465 million.
Bombardier has already delivered four Global aircraft to the US Air Force since 2007 for the BACN program, an airborne relay that extends communication ranges, bridges between radio frequencies and “translates” among incompatible communications systems. BACN aircraft are known in the US Air Force as the E-11A.
“Bombardier is proud to be chosen once again by the US Air Force to provide our high-performing Global aircraft and our unique expertise in support of the BACN program,” said Michel Ouellette, Executive Vice President, Specialized Aircraft, Programs and Engineering, Bombardier. “Our U.S.-based employees are honored to be lending their skills in support of this elite project.”
Engineers and technicians at Bombardier Specialized Aircraft’s Center of Excellence in Wichita, Kansas, will modify the Global platform to support the communications equipment required for the mission, while teams in Tucson will provide the aircraft’s interior and eventually perform the exterior painting work.
Proud to be a major employer in the US aviation sector, Bombardier works with local colleges and technical schools to help inspire and train the next generation of aerospace professionals.
Bombardier Global aircraft, renowned in the business aviation industry for range, spaciousness and a smooth ride, are a proven, go-to platform for special government missions thanks to their speed, payload capacity, built-in power redundancy, reliability and endurance.
