The E-11A Is Fleet Ready & Deployed

The U.S. Air Force has been fielding a jet in the field for about a decade now that many of you have probably never heard of: the E-11A Battlefield airborne communications node. Dubbed the "WiFi in the sky" by the U.S. Air Force, the E-11A BACN aircraft is one of the most highly sought-after aircraft in the Air Force inventory.

The E-11A BACN aircraft's unique mission is to provide extended aerial command and communications to combatants in the field. It connects dissimilar aircraft communication data links so that all allied aircraft in the battlespace can communicate. But it does more than just that. Let's take a look at how the E-11A BACN aircraft is changing the battlefield of the future.

E-11A BACN aircraft design and features

The E-11A BACN aircraft uses a commercial off-the-shelf Bombardier Global 6000. The Global 6000 is an ultra-long-range large-class business jet. The battlefield airborne communications node mission requires extensive orbiting on station, usually for 10-12 hours, so a long-range jet is necessary for the mission. Also, it flies in active combat zones, so it must be able to fly very high to stay out of range of AAA. Another key feature of the Global 6000 is the availability and ease of acquiring parts and services. The E-11A is replacing the aging E-8 JSTARS, a jet using the Boeing 707 airframe, which has been out of commercial use for decades now.

The idea is to take an aircraft with a broad parts supply and healthy logistics chain, which is much easier on manpower (the Global 6000 has a crew of two, while the JSTARS may have as many as nineteen total aircrew members). The Global 6000 has a cruising altitude in the 40,000s, but it can cruise as high as FL510. It also cruises between 566-600 knots, allowing it to get on station quickly or get across the world in one or two legs. The 6,600nm operating range allows for much greater ground and air forces communication coverage.

Using the Bombardier Global 6000

The prime user for the BACN is the 430th expeditionary electronic communications squadron, which is currently stationed at Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Before this, the BACNs operated solely out of Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Why are the Bombardier Global 6000s so well suited for the job?

The BACN's "WiFi in the Sky" technology enables the aircraft to operate like a low-Earth satellite, preserving aerial command and control capabilities for airborne and ground forces. But to get the benefits of a low-Earth satellite, the aircraft must fly relatively high and be able to orbit for many hours. The Global 6000 does both. It also does so with a high mission-capable rate. Paired with the right aircraft, the BACN system will find itself in high demand for many years to come.

The great part about using commercial off-the-shelf aircraft like the Global 6000 is that additional aircraft can be acquired if the program requires expansion. While it does not seem like a critical piece of combat airpower, it is proving in the middle east to be invaluable and an essential component of the Air Force inventory. The Global 6000 is an attractive mission since it is entirely volunteer-based. Fighter, bomber, tanker, test, and special operations pilots can all volunteer to broaden their horizons. Even trainer pilots can volunteer for the missions to gain additional skill sets. Very few missions in the US Air Force afford an opportunity like BACN in modern warfighting.

BACN Payload

The US Air Force was tasked in the early 2000s with the battlefield airborne communication coverage mission to provide joint force communications similarity.

The BACN payload is a suite of electronics that essentially solves problems. One problem plaguing the modern war-fighting effort is data links and communications dissimilarities. For instance, certain tactical aircraft in the Air Force inventory can communicate with like aircraft but not dissimilar air force aircraft. And then aircraft from joint force missions cannot speak to each other; i.e., a Navy/USMC F/A-18 cannot communicate with the flight of B-1 bombers. BACN electronics take in dissimilar data and connect them, allowing the ground units to communicate with any aircraft.

The WB-57A As A BACN aircraft

In the early 2000s, when BACN was in its infancy, the Air Force had no suitable aircraft for the missions. So, in lieu of their own fleet, they used two WB-57A jets on loan from NASA to conduct the mission. The WB-57s were a great platform to work from because they could loiter for many hours and operate at incredibly high altitudes. But they also have almost no parts availability since they are an early-Vietnam era bomber, and only two are in operation globally. This drove the need for an organic aircraft to be procured for the growing mission.

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How Does BACN Work?

We learned in Afghanistan and Iraq that warfighters must have clear and consistent communications coverage between ground and Air Force assets. The BACN aircraft acts as an interface between incompatible systems, eliminating or at least mitigating issues caused by adverse terrain (i.e., most of Afghanistan) and distance. It acts as a repeater for these units to stay in contact with their chain of command.

BACN Aircraft At Robins Air Force Base

Robins Air Force Base has been the home to the JSTARS mission for many years now, so it seems logical to retain the mission at Robins while replacing the legacy airframe. The BACN formerly had no home because it was permanently stationed in Kandahar. In fact, pilots selected for the assignment never even saw a BACN jet until they were on location in the AOR. But as Afghanistan winds down, the BACN finds a home in the CONUS. This also allows time to establish a maintenance team for the aircraft. A new squadron was activated to bring in the mission as the JSTARS finds its way to the boneyard.

‍Parting Thoughts

The E-11A BACN aircraft is a commercial off-the-shelf aircraft done by design. It affords far better access to a robust supply chain. However, you still need to find the best procurement specialists in the industry to source them. Greenwood Aerospace is your trusted partner in this space. We have decades of experience in procuring parts, MILSPEC packaging, and even warehousing if you need it. Call us or start an online quote today to see what we can do for you and the BACN mission!

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