Lockheed Martin delivers first Hercules for US Navy nuclear command mission

Lockheed Martin has delivered the first C-130J-30 Super Hercules to be converted into the E-130J Phoenix II for the US Navy. The delivery took place on October 15 at the Lockheed Martin facility in Marietta, Georgia.

The aircraft is intended to fulfill the Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) mission, providing critical airborne command, control, and communications links between US command authorities and nuclear forces, including ballistic missile submarines. The E-130J will utilize very low frequency (VLF) systems and a nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) architecture to maintain these strategic links.

Following delivery, the airframe will be transferred to Northrop Grumman, the prime contractor for the program, to integrate the necessary mission systems. This initial acquisition includes three C-130J-30 aircraft ordered in September 2024. The E-130J program is designed to replace the aging Boeing E-6B Mercury, marking a return to the Hercules family for the TACAMO mission after more than three decades.