Northrop Grumman partners to meet U.S. Navy's E-XX Tacamo program.

According to a PR published by Northrop Grumman Corporation on April 4, 2023, the firm is partnering with Lockheed Martin Skunk Works ®, Raytheon Intelligence & Space, Crescent Systems, Inc., and Long Wave Inc. to develop a solution for the US Navy’s E-XX TACAMO requirement.
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C-130J Hercules aircraft. (Picture source: Australian DoD)

The Navy's decision to replace the E-6B Mercury fleet with the E-XX TACAMO aircraft is part of the modernization efforts of the U.S. strategic deterrent mission.

The E-XX TACAMO, based on the C-130J platform, will provide enhanced connectivity and communication capabilities between the National Command Authority and ballistic submarines capable of delivering nuclear weapons. This will ensure that the U.S. strategic forces are always prepared and able to respond to any potential threat.

C-130

The C-130J is a military transport aircraft, which is the latest variant of the C-130 Hercules family of aircraft. It is designed and manufactured by Lockheed Martin and is used by various military forces around the world, including the United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, and the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force.

The aircraft has a crew of three, consisting of two pilots and one loadmaster, and can carry up to 92 passengers or 64 airborne troops. It has a payload capacity of 42,000 pounds and can carry a variety of cargo, including Humvees, LAV III vehicles, and M113 armored personnel carriers.

The C-130J has a length of 97 feet 9 inches, a wingspan of 132 feet 7 inches, and a height of 38 feet 10 inches. It is powered by four Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 turboprop engines, each producing 4,637 shaft horsepower, and features six-bladed Dowty R391 composite constant-speed fully-feathering reversible-pitch propellers.

The C-130J has a maximum speed of 362 knots (417 mph, 670 km/h) and a cruise speed of 348 knots (400 mph, 644 km/h). It has a range of 1,800 nautical miles (2,100 miles, 3,300 km) at max normal payload and a service ceiling of 28,000 feet (8,500 m) with a 42,000-pound payload. The aircraft has an absolute ceiling of 40,386 feet (12,310 m).