Boeing E-5

The **Boeing E-5, Athena, Strategic Command Platform (SCP)**, is a strategic command and control military aircraft operated by the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). The E-5 series are specially modified Boeing 747-600s that fulfil the requirements of the **New Zealand Strategic Command Initiative (NZSCI)** program. The E-5 serves as a survivable mobile command post for the New Zealand Command Authority, namely the Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Secretary of Defense, and successors. The two E-5s, named Athena and Minerva, are operated by the 1st Airborne Strategic Command Squadron of the 1st Strategic Command Group located at Wigram Air Force Base, Christchurch.

## Development

During the late 1980s to early 1990s the New Zealand government was looking for an aircraft that would be able to act as an airborne command platform and supplement their existing fleet of newly ordered E-6 Mercury's. During the 1996 Farnborough Airshow, Boeing announced the 747-500 and 747-600. However, there was not enough interest in the variants to launch either of the aircraft on the commercial market.

Seeing that the 747-600 would be an ideal platform for an airborne command aircraft, the New Zealand Government began talks with Boeing to produce a specialised variant of the aircraft. After the details of the aircraft had been outlined, the Royal New Zealand Air Force placed an order for two E-5s in January of 1994. Both aircraft were delivered in September of 1999.

Between the development and construction of the two aircraft, the total cost of the program is estimated at around US$653 million in 1998.

## Design

The E-5 is fitted with the most state-of-the-art systems, including electronic, infrared, and direct fire countermeasures, a full glass cockpit, and AGS Radar. The aircraft is also capable of surviving a high intensity nuclear electromagnetic pulse.

The E-5 is capable of operating with as many as 175 crew including flight operations and mission personnel. By far the largest operation crew of any Royal New Zealand Air Force aircraft. Due to the condition that the aircraft is kept in, the onboard storage facilities, and in-flight aerial refuelling, the E-5 can stay airborne for up to two weeks in the event of an emergency. The longest endurance flight ever operated was 2 weeks 3 days 6 hours. It takes two KC-30 MRTTs to fully refuel an E-5, requiring just over one and a half times the capacity of the KC-30.

All three deck are accessible and used by the crew during a mission.

## Operational History

The two E-5s were delivered in September 1999 and brought into active service that December. The aircraft would act as an airborne strategic command and control centre for the New Zealand Government in the event of a large scale or nuclear attack against Mainland New Zealand.

The original plan was to have one aircraft to be stationed at Wigram Air Force Base and Ohakea Air Force Base. However, the decision was made to have both aircraft located at Wigram AFB to avoid adding a second permanent E-5 maintenance facility at Ohakea.

Like the United States, the Secretary of Defence of New Zealand uses the E-5 as the preferred method of transportation outside Mainland New Zealand. In the event of a natural disaster the E-5 can also act as a command centre for rescue and recovery operations.

Until 2016, one E-5 was kept on a 24-hour alert with a crew onboard awaiting the launch siren. The role of the E-5 was recently downgraded following the introduction of the EC-50s.

### September 2001

The first combat level deployment of the E-5 was immediately after the September 11th attacks. At 9:30am, following confirmation that there had indeed been a major terrorist attack against the United States, all New Zealand armed forces were put at DEFCON 3. Subsequently the alert E-5 was airborne within 5 minutes. The second E-5 was crewed and airborne less than 20 minutes later. Both aircraft assumed a communication and tracking role and were monitoring all air traffic over Australasia and the South Pacific. One E-5 mission lasted for a total of 1 day 14 hours 30 minutes; while the other ended a day later after 2 days 14 hours 30 minutes when the DEFCON level was lowered to DEFCON 4 alongside the U.S.

## Operators

 New Zealand

* Royal New Zealand Air Force
	+ 1st Strategic Command Group - RNZAF Base Wigram, Christchurch
		- 1st Airborne Strategic Command Squadron

## Specifications

**General characteristics**

* **Crew:** 5
* **Capacity:** up to 170 mission crew
* **Length:** 296 ft 4 in (90.32 m)
* **Wingspan:** 224 ft 7 in (68.4 m)
* **Height:** 68 ft 11 in (21 m)
* **Wing area:** 5,960 sq ft (554 m2)
* **Airfoil:** **root:** BAC 463 to BAC 468 ; **tip:** BAC 469 to BAC 474
* **Empty weight:** 639,341 lb (290,000 kg)
* **Gross weight:** 1,200,000 lb (540,000 kg)
* **Max takeoff weight:** 1,279,000 lb (580,000 kg)
* **Powerplant:** 4 × Engine Alliance GP7172 turbofan engines, 74,740 lbf (332.44 kN) thrust each.

**Performance**

* **Maximum speed:** 536 kn (616 mph, 992 km/h)
* **Cruise speed:** 504 kn (580 mph, 933 km/h) / M0.85
* **Range:** 7,700 nmi (8,900 mi, 14,300 km)
* **Endurance:** 320+ hours (with refuelling)
* **Service ceiling:** 50,000 ft (15,240 m)