The US Navy has revealed the formal designation for its new command and control aircraft capable of launching the service’s nuclear arsenal.
Replacing the existing fleet of Boeing E-6B Mercury jets will be the E-130J – a derivative of Lockheed Martin’s venerable C-130J turboprop transport. The new aircraft had previously been known only as the E-XX.
The navy has not yet revealed the E-130J’s so-called “common name”, such as Mercury or Super Hornet. A procurement contract for the programme is expected in 2025.
Known as the “Take Charge and Move Out” (TACAMO) fleet, the specialised aircraft will house communications equipment capable of connecting the US president and secretary of defense with the navy’s fleet of nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines.
“The E-130J will assure that our nation’s leadership maintains control of its strategic forces as the E-6B gets closer to end of life, and enable it to focus on the performance of other critical missions until sundown,” says Captain Britt Windeler, commander of Strategic Communications Wing 1 (SCW-1).
Based at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma, SCW-1 operates the current Boing 707-based E-6B TACAMO jets. That fleet of 16 aircraft serves in both the communications relay and strategic airborne command post role, according to the navy.
However, with an average age of nearly 35 years, the Mercury fleet is nearing retirement. Although the service began an overhaul of its E-6Bs in 2022, the navy also issued a solicitation in 2023 to recapitalise the TACAMO fleet with a low-cost replacement.
That request for proposals stipulated the new aircraft would be based on the C-130J transport.
The E-130 will become the latest variant of the C-130, which manufacturer Lockheed says already comes in 17 speciality versions, including numerous military missions, a firefighting water bomber and a commercial freighter.
The US Air Force (USAF) also maintains an equivalent platform – the Boeing E-4B Nightwatch.
Based on the 747-200, these “Doomsday” jets are also capable of controlling the USA’s nuclear arsenal from aloft. The USAF and Sierra Nevada Corporation are also in the process of delivering a replacement for the E-4B based on the 747-8I, five of which Sierra Nevada is acquiring from Korean Air.
