Air Force Awards Northrop Grumman Task Order to Continue BACN Support Services Until 2027

Northrop Grumman has secured a task order from the U.S. Air Force for continued Battlefield Airborne Communications Node operations, sustainment and support until 2027.

Under the deal, the vendor will provide several services, including offering persistent connectivity and operational support for the service branch and its critical partner missions and sustainment for existing and future payloads connected to the BACN network.

Initially deployed in 2008, BACN is a high-altitude, airborne communications technology used for transmitting imagery, voice and tactical data across various platforms and domains, enabling improved situational awareness communications and coordination, Northrop Grumman said.

Kevin Berkowitz, the company’s vice president for secure processing and networks, said that BACN plays an important role amid the growing complexity of the modern battlefield and the need for data interoperability. The company is committed to delivering what its customers need to support growing threats, he added.

The Air Force initially tapped Northrop Grumman to provide maintenance support on the BACN system in 2023, when it secured an award to operate and sustain communications hardware for the E-11A aircraft.