Orion Air to Provide BACN Aircraft
Orion Air Group, LLC of Newport News, Virginia is being awarded a $50 million firm fixed price contract for the purchase of Global Express aircraft BD-700-1A10 Serial Number 9355 and 9358 and the aircraft engines currently installed on the aircraft. This aircraft has been modified to carry the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) payload. The aircraft and engines are provided by Northrop Grumman under sub-lease for operations in support of Overseas Contingency Operations under contract FA8726-09-C-0010. This contract also provides for the operation and maintenance of the BACN payload by Northrop Grumman and for the maintenance of the leased aircraft. BACN provides an airborne communications gateway to expand connectivity between various air and ground communications systems and provides translation across various communications domains. Air Force Materiel Command, Electronic Systems Center, Airborne Networks Division, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts is the contracting activity.
