Boeing announced Feb. 17 that it had delivered to USAF on Feb. 8 the E-4B National Airborne Operations Center aircraft the company had just completed upgrading at its Wichita, Kan. facility. The 11-month-long upgrade included “extensive programmed depot maintenance refurbishment” to ensure the aircraft can operate effectively and meet FAA safety requirements, stated the company release. Steve Wade, Boeing GM for Global Transport and Executive Systems noted that the E-4B is “the most advanced communications aircraft in the world and on alert 24/7.” The company is on tap to upgrade a second E-4B with a full Mod Block to include a senior leadership communications system.
The Air Force’s nascent KC-Z program, aimed at developing a next-generation family of systems for aerial refueling, will look to launch its analysis-of-alternatives study in 2024, years earlier than originally planned. Originally, the analysis of alternatives for KC-Z was set for “maybe in the 2030s,” Paul Waugh, program executive officer…