The first C-130J Hercules of the US armed forceswhich is intended to be converted into a special communications platform, has already left the factory, according to an image published by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) last month. As the E-130J model, it will replace the E-6B Mercury from 2028, which is still on the Boeing 707.
This strategic TACAMO mission (“Take Charge and Move Out”) of the US Navy was already carried out by a Hercules derivative, the EC-130Q, between 1963 and 1993. Hence the nickname “Phoenix-III”, after the mythical bird that is reborn.
Four major partners in the network
The US Navy announced on December 18, 2024 that it has awarded Northrop Grumman a three billion euro contract for mission system integration of the new E-130J. The company will serve as the prime contractor for the integration of the TACAMO mission systems, including Collins Aerospace’s Very Low Frequency System, into the new E-130J, which is being built by Lockheed Martin built aircraft.
The contract includes three Engineering Development Models (EDMs), options for up to three System Demonstration Test Articles (SDTAs) and up to six aircraft in the first production batch. Collins Aerospace, Lockheed Martin and also Raytheon are involved as subcontractors to ensure integration and airworthiness.
Although the first airframe has already been completed, it will be extensively modified to integrate advanced communications systems, including VHF, UHF and HF radios and satellite communications (SATCOM). The E-130J will be capable of transmitting very low frequency (VLF) signals to submerged nuclear submarines – complemented by enhanced electromagnetic pulse (EMP) protection and cyber security measures.
The US Navy currently operates a fleet of 16 approximately 35-year-old E-6Bs, which are used by three squadrons of Strategic Communications Wing 1 (SCW-1) at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. These include the “Ironmen” of the VQ-3, the “Shadows” of the VQ-4 and the “Roughnecks” of the VQ-7.
Kilometers of antennas
TACAMOs are extraordinary aircraft. Communication with the radio buoys of submerged submarines takes place via two rolled-out trailing antennas. One of these, the VLF Long Trailing Wire Antenna (LTWA), transmits with up to 200,000 watts and is pulled out of a hatch by gravity to a length of up to 7.25 kilometers. A second Short Trailing Wire Antenna (STWA), which is rolled out from the rear of the aircraft, forms a dipole. The aircraft fly in a slow circular path to keep the antennas as vertical as possible in order to achieve the best transmission quality. One end of the antenna, which is around 60 meters long, dives into the sea and serves as a stationary antenna for communication with submarines with ballistic missiles (SSBNs), which carry receiving buoys.
The TACAMOs are often referred to as “Doomsday Planes”. They play a central role in US national security: in the event of a nuclear war, they transmit instructions to ballistic missile submarines, but also act as a backup for the four E-4B NAOCs (National Alternate Operations Center), which are also known under the “Doomsday” label as the Airborne Nuclear Command Post (ABNCP).
Versatile communication platform
The “Mercurys” – and in future the “Phoenix-III” – are capable of operating on virtually any radio frequency band, communicating with commercial satellites and even on the internet, including via secure VOIP systems. The aircraft can often be tracked online as they fly their orbits and tow antennas behind them or use certain geostationary satellites for radio communication.
The antenna signals can be received with standard radios, but the messages themselves are encrypted. They consist of alphanumeric sequences, so-called Emergency Action Messages (EAMs), known from the submarine thriller “Crimson Tide”, for example. These messages are similar to those sent via the High Frequency Global Communications System (HFGCS).
Other tasks of the “Mercury” include the transmission of commands to intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) via the Airborne Launch Control System as well as the execution of C3 operations (Command, Control, Communication) for deployed forces and strategic bombers of the US Air Force in “Global Strike” missions.
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