E-6 Airlines
The term "E-6 Airlines" captures the philosophy of Boeing and the Navy that routine support, as well as design updates and enhancements, should rely on proven concepts of commercial aviation wherever possible. The E-6 has always been a hybrid system -- a commercial airframe with mission systems that were designed and integrated in accordance with military standards and processes. Now the program is taking advantage of new legislation to move aggressively into the use of even more commercial-off-the-shelf / non-development initiative (COTS/NDI) technology.
One advantage of this approach is that the Navy can save both time and money by avoiding much of the expense of stand-alone developments driven by military rather than commercial standards. At least as important as economy is that the E-6 Airlines concept will allow the Navy to participate more easily in the constant modernization of systems and hardware driven by the commercial airline industry.
The most recent example of this concept is an initiative under study to transplant into the E-6 the 777-technology flight deck that has been redesigned for Boeing's new 737-600/700/800 aircraft. This change will replace more than 100 old-style gauges and indicators with six flat panel displays. In addition to dramatically improved reliability and maintainability, the new commercially developed system also will provide enhanced aircraft position indication and control without which the Navy's operations could be restricted in the more crowded airspace of the future.