Lockheed Martin will provide training devices and support services for the US Navy’s ongoing Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) modernization program.
Led by Northrop Grumman, the effort centers on developing the E-130J Phoenix II aircraft, which will replace the E-6B Mercury that has carried out the TACAMO mission since the 1980s.
TACAMO platforms serve as an airborne nuclear post, relaying orders between national leadership, the Pentagon, US Strategic Command, and ballistic missile submarines during crises.
Lockheed said that its solutions will allow crews to familiarize themselves with the E-130J’s modern mission equipment, very low frequency communications, and integrated command-and-control functions ahead of its planned 2028 service entry.
Being the provider of training systems for the C‑130J‑30 Super Hercules, the airframe on which the E-130J is based, the company added that the shared design enables faster development of advanced simulators aligned with evolving mission requirements.
“As the original equipment manufacturer of the C-130J, Lockheed Martin is uniquely qualified to partner with Northrop Grumman to meet the US Navy’s E-130J training requirements,” said Todd Morar, vice president of air and commercial solutions at Lockheed Martin.
“Our expertise in the aircraft’s design and performance allows us to recreate real-world avionics and communications environments, ensuring highly realistic and effective training.”
