The US Navy has finally received the first upgraded and modernized E-6B Mercury aircraft from Northrop Grumman Corporation.
Also known as the Navy's "Doomsday" plane, the delivered E-6B Mercury was the first of twelve E-6B aircraft that Northrop Grumman must upgrade by 2027 based on its existing contract with the Navy.
(Photo : FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)
TOPSHOT - The US flag flutters in the wind beside a B-2 Stealth Bomber at the Palmdale Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence in Palmdale, California on July 17, 2014, as the US Air Force and manufacturer Northrop Grumman celebrated the 25th anniversary of the B-2 Stealth Bomber's first flight. Northrop Grumman is the prime contractor for the US Air Force's B-2 stealth bomber, a key component in the nation's long range strike arsenal and one of the most survivable aircraft in the world.
US Navy Receives First Upgraded E-6B Mercury Aircraft
In a press release, Northrop Grumman said it had successfully delivered the first E-6B Mercury aircraft back to the Navy in record time under the integrated modification and maintenance contract (IMMC) awarded to the company in February 2022.
"Five kits were successfully integrated onto the E-6B platform, implementing efficiencies and improving aircraft command, control and communications functions," the company noted.
According to Interesting Engineering, the "Doomsday" plane forms the backbone of the Navy's communication network between the US nuclear submarine fleet and the Whitehouse.
The Naval Air Systems Command announced earlier this week that the project was completed over the past year, and the aircraft was officially received this month. The Naval Air Systems Command was responsible for acquiring aircraft for the service.
In a statement released by the US Navy, it said that "the $111 million contract provides six major modifications - called Block II - to improve the aircraft's command, control, and communications functions connecting the National Command Authority with US strategic and non-strategic forces."
As part of the critical Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) strategic communications mission, the Navy said the E-6B operates across a broad frequency spectrum to deliver and receive secure and non-secure voice and data information.
The aircraft has equipment designed to enable its operators to communicate with the US Navy's submarine fleet, even underwater. In case the submarines are required to launch nuclear weapons, this equipment can also be used to receive directives from the president. Most of the E-6B fleet is stationed at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma.
Defence Blog reported that the upgrades made on the first "Mercury" aircraft were done at Northrop Grumman's Aircraft Maintenance and Fabrication Center in Lake Charles, and the second aircraft has already arrived at the said facility.
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Northrop Grumman to Continue Performing Modifications to Navy's E-6B Aircraft
Under the IMMC, Northrop Grumman will continue to modify and implement improvements on the Navy's E-6B aircraft, a variant of the commercial Boeing 707, over the next several years.
E-6B Mercury aircraft is equipped with an airborne launch control system (ALCS), capable of launching US land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles. The first E-6B aircraft was received in December 1997. Aerotime reported that the US Navy operates a fleet of 16 E-6B aircraft.
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