Takes Over Role Of TACAMO Missions

The U.S. Navy Airborne Strategic Command, Control, and Communications Program Office (PMA-271) and the Strategic Communications Wing 1 (SWC-1) revealed the new official popular name for its new Take Charge and Move Out, or TACAMO mission aircraft: the E-130J Phoenix II.

The popular name Phoenix II represents the mythical bird with the amazing ability to be reborn, a symbol of immortality, resurrection, and renewal.

The context of renewal or rebirth harkens back to the period 1963 to 1993 when the TACAMO mission was conducted by the EC-130Q. Today, the E-130J Phoenix II takes over the mission for the Navy’s aging fleet of E-6B Mercury aircraft manufactured by Boeing, which has been in service for more than thirty years.

The TACAMO mission forms the connection among the president, secretary of defense, and U.S. Strategic Command with the Navy’s ballistic missile forces during a nuclear conflict.

The new aircraft is based on the Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules, modified to be integrated with the mission systems by Northrop Grumman. It provides a survivable, reliable, and endurable airborne Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3) platform for the TACAMO mission.

Capt. Britt Windeler, commander of SCW-1 said, “I’m pleased that this very important program remains on track, and that we were able to leverage our community sailors and veterans through the process. I feel like Phoenix II is especially apt, as we are returning to our roots of executing the TACAMO mission on a C-130 variant.”

Capt. Roger Davis, PMA-271 program manager said, “Phoenix II is the ideal popular name as we take the E-130J TACAMO mission into its next phase. A phoenix is known for its resilience, exceptionally long lifespan, and its ability to transform and continue its purpose. The dedicated team at PMA-271 have committed to the ideals of TACAMO’s critical deterrence mission when executing this new platform; transforming the legacy mission aircraft into a new weapon system with unmatched survivability and longevity for this country.”

FMI:  www.navair.navy.mil/