The Air Force currently has seven E‑11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) jets in service — a fleet the service plans to divest in Fiscal Year 2028, setting off questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee about how the capability will be replaced.
What the Senate Armed Services Committee is demanding
The committee has formally directed the Secretary of the Air Force to brief congressional defense committees no later than March 31, 2027, on the service’s plan to address capability gaps created by the planned E‑11A cancellation. The report accompanying the draft National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 summarizes the committee’s view: “The committee is concerned about the operational risk associated with the loss of the E–11 BACN capability and the lack of clarity regarding the Department’s plan to mitigate resulting gaps in airborne communications, data integration, and battle management,” it says.
The briefing must include a “detailed justification” for the cancellation (cost, survivability, operational considerations); an assessment of operational risks, including impacts on joint all‑domain command and control and coalition interoperability; descriptions of alternative capabilities (space‑, airborne‑, and ground‑based) with timelines, funding needs, and acquisition strategies; and a plan to “ensure continuity of communications relay and gateway capabilities in contested environments during any transition period.”
What the E‑11A BACN does in combat operations
BACN aircraft provide an airborne communications gateway capable of relaying data across multiple waveforms and “translating” between data‑sharing systems that otherwise cannot interoperate. The jets can bridge line‑of‑sight and beyond‑line‑of‑sight links — a role the report notes was essential in Afghanistan’s mountainous terrain and that continues in current operations. The E‑11A has supported active combat operations including as part of Operation Epic Fury and was used during the mission to capture former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in January, the source reports.
The BACN package has flown on multiple airframes: the current seven‑jet fleet is based on Bombardier Global Express variants, the capability previously flew on one of NASA’s WB‑57F research aircraft, and it has also been fielded on the now‑retired EQ‑4B Global Hawk drones.
Air Force rationale: space‑based alternatives and “divest‑to‑invest”
The Air Force announced the divestment earlier this year alongside its budget request and has argued the function will be taken over by next‑generation space assets. The Pentagon’s annual force structure report states: “Predicated on the successful deployment of next‑generation orbital systems, the E‑11A fleet is scheduled for divestment in FY 2028… These space‑based assets will provide equivalent relay and datalink capabilities, superseding current E‑11A functions.”
The Air Force also cited cost savings and the intention to reinvest those funds into replacement capabilities. In public testimony referenced in the report, Secretary Pete Hegseth framed a broader debate about a prior cancellation attempt for another program and described a shift away from a “divest‑to‑invest mindset,” saying that earlier thinking reflected an “austerity mindset” and that there are “gaps that need to still be filled.”
Operational risk and survivability concerns
The committee flagging of risk is rooted in both capability and survivability questions. The E‑11A’s value as a proximate relay node requires it to operate within the reach of line‑of‑sight links, a profile that makes non‑stealthy business‑jet platforms vulnerable in higher‑end contests. The source notes growing threats: “China and Russia, in particular, are developing very long‑range anti‑air missiles,” and the Air Force has warned that designs with ranges of 1,000 miles “could be in service by 2050.” The report warns that expanding anti‑access/area‑denial bubbles will challenge non‑stealthy combat support aircraft and that smaller adversaries and non‑state actors are also fielding more capable air defenses.
What this means for combatant commanders, coalition partners, and satellite operators
- Combatant commanders: They will need assurance that relay, gateway, and data‑translation functions remain available during any transition — the committee specifically asked for an assessment of impacts on support to combatant commander requirements.
- Coalition partners: Because BACN “enabling joint and coalition operations” is singled out in the report, partners will watch for risks to interoperability and to ongoing operations or contingency plans if airborne gateway capacity is reduced.
- Satellite operators and hybrid SATCOM programs: The Air Force points to Hybrid SATCOM (STACOM) terminals and next‑generation orbital systems as bridge and replacement options; commercial constellations such as SpaceX’s Starlink and Starshield are already “widespread and still‑growing” in military use, per the source, making commercial‑government hybrid architectures central to the transition narrative.
The Senate’s directive forces the Air Force to move beyond high‑level assertions and provide a time‑bound, costed mitigation plan for a capability that today ties disparate radios and datalinks together in contested and austere environments. The service continues to operate the E‑11A fleet “through next year at least,” but whether the briefing and the committee’s concerns lead to congressional intervention — as they did historically for the E‑7 Wedgetail program cited in the report — remains an open, concrete decision point between now and March 31, 2027.
