The US Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman a $3.5 billion contract for the E-130J, the service’s new command and control aircraft for its ballistic missile submarine force.
The aircraft will replace the Boeing E-6B Mercury in the Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) mission.
Northrop, which will serve as the prime contractor for the programme, says it has invested over $1 billion in digital engineering and manufacturing capabilities related to the E-130J, and already provides support for the existing E-6B fleet, a derivative of the 707.
The E-130J will be a heavily modified version of the Lockheed Martin C-130J tactical transport.
“The effort will incorporate Northrop Grumman’s technology leadership in advanced manufacturing, agile design, digital engineering and weapon system integration expertise to take advantage of day one readiness across the Northrop Grumman-led industry team,” says the company.
Based at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma, Strategic Communications Wing 1 (SCW-1) operates the E-6B TACAMO. That fleet of 16 aircraft serves in both the communications relay and strategic airborne command post role, according to the navy.
With an average age of nearly 35 years, the Mercury fleet is nearing retirement. Although the service started overhauling 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 that the new aircraft be based on the C-130J. Lockheed started building the first E-130J in November.
“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,” said Captain Britt Windeler, commander of SCW-1 in October.
