SNC ‘Doomsday’ plane gets flight testing in Dayton

Sierra Nevada, also known as “SNC,” has started flight testing of the modernized E-4C aircraft under an Air Force contract, the company said.

The first company-led flight occurred last month as part of an effort to deliver what it calls next-generation airborne “command and control” capabilities.

Sometimes called the “Doomsday” plane, the craft is meant to serve as a haven for key national leaders in the event of war or an emergency.

These early test flights will reduce risk to the program to ensure on-time delivery of the E-4C, SNC said in a release.

Flight and ground testing will continue next year to establish a technical design baseline, with testing happening primarily in Dayton and Wichita, Kansas.

Six weeks after the initial contract award, in June 2024, SNC welcomed the first 747-8i plane at Dayton International Airport. Four months later, in October, SNC celebrated the opening of its second “MRO” hangar in Dayton while simultaneously breaking ground on two additional hangars.

Mark Williams, SNC senior vice president and the company’s Dayton site executive, expressed gratitude for the company’s publicly traded partners at the Ohio Defense & Aerospace Forum Monday.

But Williams also said SNC’s status as a privately held business gave it the space to take risks and make bold moves — such as building two MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) hangars at Dayton International.

“There is no way I could have gotten a publicly traded company to do that,” Williams told the forum, held at Wright State University’s Student Union.

In all, the company will have four Dayton MRO hangars.

The two new Dayton MRO hangars are proceeding ahead of schedule, with the next facility opening for operations next month and more than 650,000 square feet supporting the Air Force there by early 2026, SNC said.

“This expansion underscores SNC’s commitment to investing early in our capabilities and scaling the enterprise to meet the needs of the SAOC program,” SNC said. “Three additional 747-8i have been delivered to SNC.”