Lockheed Martin has started assembling the first C-130J airframe that will become the US Navy’s newest aircraft type – the E-130J airborne command post.
US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) revealed the factory milestone on 14 November, saying the first of three initial E-130Js is undergoing assembly in Marietta, Georgia, with delivery expected in 2026. Meta data attached to images of the assembly line released by the navy indicate the photos were taken in September.
The navy stipulated that the new aircraft be based on Lockheed’s C-130J, seen as a low-cost and proven option.
The recently named E-130J – formerly known as E-XX, will replace the Boeing E-6B Mercury, whose mission is to “connect the president, secretary of defense and US Strategic Command with the United States’ nuclear triad,” NAVAIR says.
The ’triad” refers to the USA’s three delivery methods for nuclear weapons: bomber-based munitions, submarine-launched ballistic missiles and intercontinental ballistic missiles housed in ground silos.
Within the navy, the E-6’s mission of commanding the nuclear triad from aloft in the event of a conflict is known as “take charge and move out”, or TACAMO.
Derived from Boeing’s 707 passenger jet, the fleet of 16 Mercury aircraft also serves as a communications relay station for the navy’s ballistic missile submarines.
While the E-6B handles both the TACAMO missions of controlling submarine-launched missiles and the US Air Force’s ground-based ICMBs, it appears the new E-130 will only be responsible for the naval missiles.
Although not yet confirmed, the US Air Force’s developmental commercial derivative aircraft known as the Survivable Airborne Operations Center will likely take over responsibility for launching the ground-based missiles – a mission known as “Looking Glass”.
Citing security reasons, the E-130J procurement office tells FlightGlobal it cannot disclose the total number of aircraft the navy plan to purchase. However, the service’s request for proposal (RFP) to industry set a minimum buy of eight and a maximum of 12.
Of these, the first three will be engineering development models, which are to be used for design maturation ahead of a production decision. The first E-130J production lot could include up to six aircraft, according to NAVAIR, with additional examples ordered in subsequent lots.
The navy says it expects to award an initial engineering and manufacturing development contract for the TACAMO modernisation programme in the first quarter of 2025, which will include conversion of the standard C-130Js to the E-130 configuration.
Northrop Grumman is separately upgrading the existing fleet of E-6Bs.
The E-130J will become the latest variant of the C-130, which Lockheed says already comes in 17 speciality versions, including those intended for numerous military missions, a firefighting water bomber and a commercial freighter.
