Northrop Grumman grabs key mission systems integrator role for the new E-130J TACAMO aircraft
December 19, 2024
The E-130J was selected to replace the US Navy’s current E-6B Mercury fleet on 21 October 2024, and a Northrop Grumman-led industry team has now been selected to be the mission systems integrator for the new E-130J TACAMO platform under a US $3.5 billion contract. The Northrop Grumman offering (by a team that also includes Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, Raytheon, Crescent Systems, Inc., and Long Wave Inc., was selected over a bid from Collins Aerospace.
TACAMO will provide the US national command authorities with a secure and reliable means of communicating with any of the forces constituting the nuclear triad, including submerged SSBN submarines.
The E-130J is based on the airframe of the Lockheed Martin C-130J-30, a stretched version of the C-130J transport aircraft, equipped with a suite of communications systems and datalinks. These include the Collins Aerospace Very Low Frequency communications system, which will enable the aircraft to communicate with submarines below the surface of the ocean.
Three pre-production aircraft were purchased for use as Engineering Development Models (EDMs) in FY2023: one will be used for air vehicle testing, and the other two for mission systems testing. The US Navy expects to purchase three production aircraft as System Demonstration Test Articles (SDTAs) in FY2027 and another six in FY2028 forming the first production lot.
Jane Bishop, vice president and general manager, of Northrop Grumman’s global surveillance division, said that: “Our performance on Navy programs like the E-2D and E-6B prove we deliver on what we promise, and we will bring this expertise in helping the Navy deliver the E-130J on time and optimized for this strategically important mission.”
