The title is a nod to the C-130 platform already fulfilling the TACAMO mission as EC-130Q between 1963 and 1993.
After designating final 12 months the collection of the E-130J designation for the brand new Take Cost and Transfer Out (TACAMO) mission plane, the U.S. Navy has now introduced that Phoenix II shall be it official widespread title. The service says the title represents the legendary chicken, whose skill is to be reborn, in a nod to the confirmed C-130 platform fulfilling the TACAMO mission as EC-130Q between 1963 and 1993.
E-130J Phoenix II
“Phoenix II is the perfect widespread title as we take the E-130J TACAMO mission into its subsequent section,” stated Capt. Roger Davis, PMA-271 program supervisor. “A phoenix is thought for its resilience, exceptionally lengthy lifespan, and its skill to remodel and proceed its goal. The devoted workforce at PMA-271 have dedicated to the beliefs of TACAMO’s important deterrence mission when executing this new platform; remodeling the legacy mission plane into a brand new weapon system with unmatched survivability and longevity for this nation.”
The announcement was made by PMA-271 along with Strategic Communications Wing 1 (SCW-1), which is able to make use of the plane. SCW-1 oversees the “Ironmen” of Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron (VQ) 3, “Shadows” of VQ-4 and “Roughnecks” of VQ-7, dwelling primarily based out of Tinker Air Pressure Base, Oklahoma. VQ-7 is the Fleet Substitute Squadron (FRS) that gives aircrew to VQ-3 and VQ-4.
“I’m happy that this crucial program stays on observe, and that we have been capable of leverage our group sailors and veterans by means of the method,” stated Capt. Britt Windeler, commander of SCW-1. “I really feel like Phoenix II is very apt, as we’re returning to our roots of executing the TACAMO mission on a C-130 variant.”
New TACAMO platform
PMA-271 is procuring the E-130J by means of the TACAMO Recapitalization Program, whose most certainly candidate was already thought-about to be the Tremendous Hercules. Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works and Raytheon Intelligence and Area teamed as much as bid for this system in 2023.
The solicitation, which closed in April 2024, is for a main contractor to combine TACAMO mission programs, together with the Collins Aerospace Very Low Frequency (VLF) subsystem, into government-furnished C-130J-30 plane. The contract award is scheduled for January 2025, stated NAVAIR within the press launch.
The E-130J would turn out to be the 18th variant of the C-130 Hercules, in line with a Lockheed Martin 2020 brochure which mentions that the Hercules already has 17 mission variants. Nevertheless, using the kind for the TACAMO mission will not be a novelty, because the E-6B changed one other Hercules variant, the EC-130Q which was primarily based on the C-130H.
Lockheed Martin already launched in 2022 an idea for what it referred to as the EC-130J, which included the trailing wires of the VLF antenna, enlarged and prolonged touchdown gear fairings, a number of domes extending each from the highest and the underside fuselage and fairings for different tools on the wingtips. Again then, the primary new plane was anticipated to reach at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, in Fiscal 12 months 2026.
Among the many anticipated modifications are additionally electromagnetic pulse (EMP) hardening and cybersecurity hardening. In comparison with the E-6B, nonetheless, the E-130J will not be anticipated to Air Pressure’s Airborne Command Publish (ABNCP) functionality, which permits to speak with the nuclear bombers and ICBM (InterContinental Ballistic Missiles) silos, as it is going to be reportedly built-in on the brand new Survivable Airborne Operations Middle (SAOC) plane.
The E-6B Mercury
The E-130J Phoenix II will recapitalize the ageing E-6B Mercury fleet that has been in service for greater than three a long time. The E-6B Mercury, generally recognized by many because the “Doomsday Airplane“, performs an especially necessary function for the U.S. Nationwide Safety: they’re used to relay directions to the fleet ballistic missile submarines in case of nuclear warfare but additionally act as backups of the 4 E-4Bs NAOC (Nationwide Alternate Operations Middle), working as ABNCP (Airborne Command Publish) platforms.
Due to its delicate mission, the Mercury is able to speaking on just about each radio frequency band, on industrial satellites and on the Web, utilizing additionally a safe VOIP system. The plane are sometimes trackable on-line whereas performing numerous important missions, flying orbits whereas trailing their antennas or exploiting a selected geostationary satellite tv for pc for radio comms.
The transmissions from these antennas might be acquired utilizing commercially obtainable radio tools however the messages themselves are transmitted in code, forming strings of letters and numbers referred to as Emergency Motion Messages (EAMs). These messages are much like, and generally an identical when it comes to content material, these transmitted on excessive frequency (HF) radio through the Excessive Frequency International Communications System (HFGCS).
Among the many Mercury’s missions are the so-called Wanting Glass mission (mirroring the ground-based C3 middle at Offutt AFB and relaying orders); speaking to submarines trailing a 26,000 ft wire antenna; launching instructions to ICBMs (InterContinental Ballistic Missiles) through Airborne Launch Management System, and performing C3 (Command Management Communication) operations to forces working in theater or to the U.S. strategic bombers flying International Strike missions.
The U.S. Navy has a fleet of 16 E-6Bs operated by the Strategic Communications Wing 1 (SCW-1) squadrons dwelling primarily based out of Tinker Air Pressure Base, Oklahoma. They embrace the “Ironmen” of Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron (VQ) 3, “Shadows” of VQ-4 and “Roughnecks” of VQ-7.
