Northrop Grumman to build cyber security-enhanced EC-130J airborne command post for strategic communications

Dec. 20, 2024
TACAMO provides a survivable, endurable, and reliable command and control aircraft to link U.S. national command authorities and nuclear forces.

PATUXENT RIVER NAS, Md. – U.S. Navy strategic communications experts are asking Northrop Grumman Corp. for full-scale development of the E-30J strategic airborne command post to maintain communications with U.S. nuclear forces during times of intense international conflict.

Officials of the Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., announced a $3.5 billion contract Wednesday to the Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems segment in Melbourne, Fla., for engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) of the E-130J Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) aircraft.

Strategic communications

The E-130J is a strategic communications aircraft able to communicate on virtually every radio frequency band from very low frequency (VLF) up through advanced extremely high frequency (AEHF) using a variety of modulations, encryptions, and networks to keep to a minimum the likelihood an emergency message being jammed by an enemy.

The TACAMO mission provides an airborne capability for survivable, endurable and reliable airborne command, control and communications between U.S. national command authorities and U.S. nuclear forces of bomber aircraft, nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile sites, and deployed submerged nuclear ballistic missile submarines.

Related: Navy asks Northrop Grumman to install SATCOM data link aboard E-6B Mercury strategic airborne command post

The TACAMO dedicated communications aircraft mission is critical in the deterrence and management of a nuclear conflict, U.S. military leaders say.

This contract calls for Northrop Grumman and its industry partners to produce three EMD E-130J TACAMO aircraft, and provides for design, development, and integration of mature subsystems such as the RTX Collins Aerospace VLF communications system that will enable the aircraft to communicate with submerged ballistic missile submarines.

Link to submerged submarines

The aircraft will establish one-way communications with deployed submarines via a 5-mile-long wire antenna that extends from the tail of the aircraft. The Collins VLF system will go aboard the government-furnished Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules four-engine turboprop aircraft.

The contract also calls for Northrop Grumman to provide laboratories, training courseware and devices, product support, spare parts, and test three engineering development model aircraft.

Related: L3Harris to upgrade SSHF satellite communications for E-4B airborne command post to control nuclear forces

Capabilities of the EC-130J TACAMO will include electromagnetic pulse (EMP) hardening, cyber security hardening, and an upgrade of the trailing wire communications system currently fielded on the Boeing E-6 Mercury, the strategic communications aircraft that the EC-130J will augment and replace.

The contract also calls for Collins Aerospace and Lockheed Martin Corp. to be designated subcontractors to Northrop Grumman to support aircraft integration and airworthiness.

On this contract, Northrop Grumman and its partners will do the work in Melbourne, Largo, Orlando, and Clearwater, Fla.; Marietta, Ga.; Richardson and San Antonio, Texas; Oklahoma City; Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, Ind.; Phoenix; Torrance, Calif; and other U.S. locations, and should be finished by December 2034.

For more information contact Northrop Grumman Aeronautics online at www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/air/manned-aircraft/e-130J-tacamo RTX Collins Aerospace at www.collinsaerospace.com; Lockheed Martin Aeronautics at www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/products/c130/c-130j-30-super-hercules.html; or Naval Air Systems Command at www.navair.navy.mil.

About the Author

John Keller | Editor-in-Chief

John Keller is the Editor-in-Chief, Military & Aerospace Electronics Magazine--provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronics and optoelectronic technologies in military, space and commercial aviation applications. John has been a member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since 1989 and chief editor since 1995.

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