Airborne communications node aircraft delivered to U.S. Air Force
NewsSeptember 23, 2025
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Massachusetts. Bombardier Defense delivered its ninth Global series aircraft to the U.S. Air Force for use in the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) program, the company announced in a statement.
The BACN fleet, designated E-11A by the Air Force, serves as a high-altitude communications relay designed to connect air and ground forces by bridging voice and data networks, the statement reads. The aircraft supports operations in areas where geography or distance hinders direct communication, the company says.
According to the statement, the Bombardier Global platform has been used in the BACN role for nearly two decades, providing a fixed-wing solution for persistent airborne communications. The aircraft are operated by the 430th Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron, and the latest delivery was marked during a ceremony at Hanscom Air Force Base in September.
