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By (https://www.twz.com/authors/thomas-newdick) Thomas Newdick      Published  Oct 16, 2026 11:52 AM EDT     (first-c-130j-for-navys-new-e-130j-phoenix-ii-ballistic-submarine-communications-fleet-delivered.html#comments)    0           (https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=twz.com) Add TWZ (opens Google in a new window or tab)      More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results.        (The U.S. Navy officially accepted delivery of the first C-130J-30 Super Hercules from Lockheed Martin during a ceremony in Marietta, Georgia, Oct. 15, 2026. Managed by the Airborne Strategic Command, Control and Communications program office (PMA-271) and operated by Strategic Communications Wing 1 (SCW 1), the airframe will undergo mission-system modification and flight testing to become the E-130J “Phoenix II," ensuring secure, reliable communications to our nation's strategic nuclear forces.)   Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin by Damien A. Guarnieri    The TWZ Newsletter Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.   (handle_newsletter_email_submission) (d88dacfd8e) (TWZInline) (0) Email address  (Enter your email) (Please enter a valid email address)  Sign Up  Thank you!      (https://recurrent.io/terms-and-conditions/) Terms of Service and(https://recurrent.io/privacy-policy/) Privacy Policy        The U.S. Navy has taken delivery of the first (https://www.twz.com/sponsored-content/c-130-factory-how-iconic-hercules-airlifters-are-born) C-130J-30 Hercules airframe destined to become an (https://www.twz.com/air/navys-future-e-130j-tacamo-doomsday-plane-seen-in-new-rendering) E-130J Phoenix II , the service’s next-generation aircraft for maintaining communications with its nuclear ballistic submarines. The aircraft will now undergo extensive mission-systems integration before it can begin testing for the Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) mission. The (https://x.com/USNavy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) @USNavy 's future TACAMO aircraft is here. 🇺🇸The C-130J-30 Super Hercules keeps strategic command and control connected when it matters most.Four engines. Long endurance. Proven reliability. (https://t.co/huX0qlzKkm) pic.twitter.com/huX0qlzKkm  — Lockheed Martin (@LockheedMartin) (https://x.com/LockheedMartin/status/2111064616641929607?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) October 16, 2026    Lockheed Martin handed over the newly built aircraft at its facility in Marietta, Georgia, on October 15. The delivery marks the start of the transition from the Navy’s aging (https://www.twz.com/e-6b-doomsday-plane-looks-like-its-been-through-armageddon) E-6B Mercury fleet to the turboprop-powered E-130J, which is intended to provide a survivable communications link between national leadership and U.S. Navy (https://www.twz.com/this-buoy-helps-ballistic-missile-submarines-get-nuclear-strike-orders) nuclear ballistic missile submarines , including the ability to send them orders to launch strikes (https://www.twz.com/31477/heres-why-an-e-6b-doomsday-plane-was-flying-tight-circles-off-the-jersey-shore-today) while they are submerged . (An E-6B Mercury assigned to the Strategic Communications Wing 1 at Tinker Air Force Base approaches a KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 92nd Air Refueling Wing during an aerial refueling mission over Oregon, Feb. 28, 2025. Aerial refueling capabilities are essential for strategic and tactical operations as well as humanitarian relief efforts in support of Air Mobility Command, U.S. Transportation Command and Department of Defense priorities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Megan Delaine))  An E-6B Mercury assigned to the Strategic Communications Wing 1 at Tinker Air Force Base approaches a tanker during an aerial refueling mission over Oregon, Feb. 28, 2025. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Megan Delaine   “Today’s delivery from the historic Marietta line represents far more than a new airframe; it marks the foundation of our future strategic deterrence posture,” Capt. Roger Davis, program manager for the Navy’s Airborne Strategic Command, Control, and Communications program office (PMA-271), said in a statement. “Through our close partnership with Lockheed Martin and our industry team, we are ensuring our nation maintains an unshakeable communications lifeline to our ballistic missile submarine fleet.” (Capt. Roger Davis, left, Airborne Strategic Command, Control and Communications program manager (PMA-271), presents a ceremonial key to Capt. David Gardner, commodore of Strategic Communications Wing 1 (SCW 1), during the C-130J-30 delivery ceremony Oct. 15, 2026 in Marietta, Georgia. The symbolic handover marks the transition of the new airframe into the next phase of mission-system modification, ground testing and developmental flight testing, laying the foundation to field the future E-130J “Phoenix II.” (Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin by Thinh D. Nguyen))  Capt. Roger Davis, left, Airborne Strategic Command, Control and Communications program manager (PMA-271), presents a ceremonial key to Capt. David Gardner, commodore of Strategic Communications Wing 1 (SCW 1), during the C-130J-30 delivery ceremony Oct. 15, 2026 in Marietta, Georgia. Photo courtesy of Lockheed Martin by Thinh D. Nguyen   The aircraft is the first of three C-130J-30s initially procured by the Navy in September 2024. It will be transferred to Northrop Grumman, the E-130J program’s prime contractor and mission-systems integrator, for conversion. Collins Aerospace is providing the very low frequency (VLF) communications system, a key component of the TACAMO mission. TACAMO aircraft provide a means for the president, secretary of defense, and U.S. Strategic Command to communicate with nuclear forces, including submarines submerged at sea. The mission is designed to preserve the ability to transmit emergency action messages even if conventional communications infrastructure is disrupted or destroyed. The E-6B accomplishes this in part through a long, (https://www.twz.com/31477/heres-why-an-e-6b-doomsday-plane-was-flying-tight-circles-off-the-jersey-shore-today) trailing wire antenna that enables VLF transmissions to submerged submarines. The E-130J will receive a comparable system as part of its conversion. Hardening against the effects of electromagnetic pulse (EMP), which occurs (https://www.twz.com/14051/north-korea-shows-h-bomb-warhead-design-says-it-will-use-it-in-emp-strike) during the detonation of nuclear warheads , is another key requirement for these planes. (A sneak peak at the first C-130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft being built by Lockheed Martin Corp. for the U.S. Navy’s E-130J program. This aircraft – the first of three – is slated to be delivered to the government in 2026 for modification into an E-130J Engineering Development Model. The E-130J, formerly called E-XX, will be the successor to the E-6B Mercury for the Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) mission, which connects the president, secretary of defense and U.S. Strategic Command with the United States’ nuclear triad. The U.S. Navy’s Airborne Strategic Command, Control and Communications Program Office (PMA-271) is leading the TACAMO Recapitalization Program and is scheduled to award the Engineering and Manufacturing Development contract during the first quarter of 2025. (Photo by David L. Key, Lockheed Martin))  The first C-130J-30 being built by Lockheed Martin Corp. for the E-130J program. Photo by David L. Key, Lockheed Martin   The Navy (https://www.twz.com/air/navy-doomsday-plane-fleet-to-almost-double-in-size-with-new-e-130js) plans to acquire 31 E-130Js , nearly doubling the 16 E-6Bs currently in service. That total includes six developmental aircraft and 25 production examples, although it remains unclear how many of the developmental aircraft will ultimately be available for operational use. The larger planned fleet should provide additional aircraft to support training, maintenance, and operational demands. However, the transition also brings technical challenges. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) (https://www.twz.com/nuclear/navys-new-doomsday-plane-delayed-as-watchdog-says-developmental-concerns-are-now-realities) has previously warned that integrating the specialized mission equipment into the smaller C-130J-30 airframe could affect operational availability and create additional engineering and manufacturing difficulties. (Rendering of the U.S. Navy's future E-130J aircraft, which will relieve the E-6B Mercury of the Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) mission. (Rendering courtesy of Northrop Grumman Corp.))  Rendering of the future E-130J aircraft. Courtesy of Northrop Grumman Corp.   In (https://www.twz.com/38345/the-navys-wants-to-go-back-to-the-flying-c-130-hercules-as-its-next-doomsday-plane) the past, TWZ has discussed the potential operational readiness and other trade-offs that could come from selecting a C-130-based platform to replace the E-6B in the TACAMO role. As (https://www.twz.com/38345/the-navys-wants-to-go-back-to-the-flying-c-130-hercules-as-its-next-doomsday-plane) we wrote previously : “It’s certainly worth pointing out that the E-6Bs, conversions of what were some of the last and most modern 707 airliners built, were larger and higher performance platforms than the EC-130Qs. The C-130J-30 is certainly a more capable aircraft than the C-130H on which the EC-130Q was based, but it won’t have the base speed and altitude capabilities of an airliner-sized multi-engine jet. Compared to the Mercuries, any TACAMO-configured C-130J-30 would not be able to get on station as quickly, or fly as high, limiting its ability to get above bad weather or establish a better line of sight for its communications systems.”  “At the same time, as the Navy itself has noted, the C-130J-30 platform does immediately open up the ability to use a larger number of air bases, airports, and airfields, including austere ones that the E-6B cannot operate from. This could be very useful in a contingency scenario where an opponent may have (https://www.twz.com/23682/usaf-wants-units-to-rapidly-build-and-fly-from-new-bases-in-the-middle-of-a-future-war) destroyed or otherwise rendered unusable many well-established bases, as well as larger secondary dispersal sites, which include large commercial airports. Being able to fly from smaller, tertiary locations could help to ensure that the TACAMO mission continues without significant disruption under such circumstances. This is also true during peacetime, as targeting the TACAMOs on the ground would be much harder if they could easily operate from and sit alert at a much larger number of airports.”  “A C-130J-30 configured for the TACAMO mission would certainly have a mid-air refueling capability, and the Hercules is already a platform that has demonstrated the ability to loiter over particular areas for long periods of time. Unlike the Boeing 707, the C-130J is still in production, as well, meaning that TACAMO aircraft based on this plane would be inherently easier to maintain and support logistically, and may also be easier to convert to this specialized configuration to begin with. As time goes on, the J looks set to increasingly become (https://www.airforcemag.com/usaf-wants-to-base-c-130js-in-georgia-kentucky-texas-and-west-virginia/) the default base C-130 model across the U.S. military, as well. Compared to the long out-of-production 707-based E-6, support for the C-130J is already distributed across the U.S. and beyond. Training C-130J crews is even an easier proposition.”  The E-130J also represents a return to the Hercules family for the Navy’s TACAMO mission. The EC-130Q performed the role from 1963 to 1993, before the E-6A Mercury took over. The E-6B subsequently added an airborne command post mission known as (https://www.twz.com/why-an-officer-on-this-doomsday-planes-packed-a-revolver) Looking Glass , supporting U.S. strategic forces (https://www.twz.com/moment-e-6b-doomsday-plane-crew-ordered-icbm-launch-seen-in-image) beyond the submarine communications role . ()  The US Navy operated a fleet of EC-130Q TACAMO aircraft like the one seen here before the arrival of the E-6As. U.S. Navy   The Navy’s current plan is for the E-130J to assume the TACAMO mission, while the Air Force pursues a separate effort to replace the Looking Glass airborne command post capability. Following its delivery, the first E-130J airframe will enter mission-systems modification, ground testing, and developmental flight testing. The aircraft is not yet an operational TACAMO platform, and further integration and testing will be required before the Navy can begin fielding the new fleet. The transition is intended to preserve one of the most critical links in the U.S. nuclear command, control, and communications architecture as the E-6B fleet becomes increasingly difficult to sustain. Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com  (https://www.twz.com/authors/thomas-newdick) (Thomas Newdick Avatar)   (https://www.twz.com/authors/thomas-newdick) Thomas Newdick   Staff Writer    Thomas Newdick is a staff writer at  TWZ  , where he covers military aviation, defense technology, weapons systems, and international security. Based in Berlin, Germany, he reports on conflicts, military modernization efforts, and emerging aerospace technologies around the world, with a particular interest in airpower and its role in contemporary warfare. His reporting is informed by deep expertise in modern and historical airpower, particularly in Europe, with a focus on military aviation, air campaigns, and aerospace developments across the continent and beyond.   (https://twitter.com/CombatAir)           (https://www.twz.com/category/nuclear) Nuclear      (https://www.twz.com/category/nuclear-command-and-control) Nuclear Command And Control         Loading comments…  Comments couldn’t be loaded. Please refresh the page.         Latest in C-130 (https://www.twz.com/nuclear/navys-new-doomsday-plane-delayed-as-watchdog-says-developmental-concerns-are-now-realities) (The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) says concerns it raised last year about the U.S. Navy's E-130J Phoenix II program "have morphed into realities.")     (https://www.twz.com/category/nuclear-command-and-control) Nuclear Command And Control   (https://www.twz.com/nuclear/navys-new-doomsday-plane-delayed-as-watchdog-says-developmental-concerns-are-now-realities) Navy’s New ‘Doomsday Plane’ Delayed As Watchdog Says Developmental Concerns Are Now Realities   GAO previously questioned the Navy's choice of a C-130-based aircraft to meet its nuclear command and control needs. By (https://www.twz.com/authors/joseph-trevithick) Joseph Trevithick        6:36 PM  July 2, 2026      (https://www.twz.com/air/ac-130j-gunship-with-mini-cruise-missiles-paired-with-aesa-radar-to-undergo-tests) (U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is moving to demonstrate a new, fully integrated extended-range strike capability for the AC-130J Ghostrider gunship.)     (https://www.twz.com/category/ac-130) AC-130   (https://www.twz.com/air/ac-130j-gunship-with-mini-cruise-missiles-paired-with-aesa-radar-to-undergo-tests) AC-130J Gunship With Mini Cruise Missiles Paired With AESA Radar To Undergo Tests   The plan is to demonstrate a fully integrated, longer-range strike capability that could keep the AC-130 relevant in high-end conflicts. By (https://www.twz.com/authors/joseph-trevithick) Joseph Trevithick        7:20 PM  May 19, 2026        ()    The TWZ Newsletter  Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.   (https://twz.beehiiv.com/) Sign Up  By signing up you agree to our(https://recurrent.io/terms-and-conditions/) Terms of Service and(https://recurrent.io/privacy-policy/) Privacy Policy.           More   (https://www.twz.com/ac-130j-ghostrider-could-get-huge-capability-leap-from-aesa-radar) (AC-130 Gunship AESA)     (https://www.twz.com/category/ac-130) AC-130   (https://www.twz.com/ac-130j-ghostrider-could-get-huge-capability-leap-from-aesa-radar) AC-130J Ghostrider Could Get Huge Upgrade From AESA Radar   By (https://www.twz.com/authors/joseph-trevithick) Joseph Trevithick ,  (https://www.twz.com/authors/tyler-rogoway) Tyler Rogoway           (https://www.twz.com/air/navys-future-e-130j-tacamo-doomsday-plane-seen-in-new-rendering) (Navy’s Future E-130J TACAMO ‘Doomsday Plane’ Seen In New Rendering)     (https://www.twz.com/category/c-130) C-130   (https://www.twz.com/air/navys-future-e-130j-tacamo-doomsday-plane-seen-in-new-rendering) Navy’s Future E-130J TACAMO ‘Doomsday Plane’ Seen In New Rendering   By (https://www.twz.com/authors/joseph-trevithick) Joseph Trevithick           (https://www.twz.com/air/ac-130j-ghostrider-gunships-will-keep-their-105mm-howitzers-for-now) (The U.S. Air Force's top special operations officer says AC-130J Ghostriders will continue being armed with 105mm howitzers for the foreseeable future despite the gunships evolving to as focus shifts to preparing for high-end fights.)     (https://www.twz.com/category/ac-130) AC-130   (https://www.twz.com/air/ac-130j-ghostrider-gunships-will-keep-their-105mm-howitzers-for-now) AC-130J Ghostrider Gunships Will Keep Their 105mm Howitzers, For Now   By (https://www.twz.com/authors/joseph-trevithick) Joseph Trevithick           (https://www.twz.com/air/evolve-or-die-the-future-of-the-ac-130-gunship) (AC-130)        (https://www.twz.com/category/ac-130) AC-130   (https://www.twz.com/air/evolve-or-die-the-future-of-the-ac-130-gunship) The Future Of The AC-130 Gunship: Evolve Or Die   By (https://www.twz.com/authors/tyler-rogoway) Tyler Rogoway           (https://www.twz.com/air/ac-130j-ghostrider-gunship-has-operated-from-a-highway-for-the-first-time) (The US Air Force says an AC-130J Ghostrider gunship has operated from a highway for the first time as part of the service's larger push to reduce its dependence on traditional runways. This is also comes amid questions about the future of the gunships in future high-end fights.)     (https://www.twz.com/category/ac-130) AC-130   (https://www.twz.com/air/ac-130j-ghostrider-gunship-has-operated-from-a-highway-for-the-first-time) AC-130J Ghostrider Gunship Has Operated From A Highway For The First Time   By (https://www.twz.com/authors/joseph-trevithick) Joseph Trevithick           (https://www.twz.com/32524/blue-angels-tease-updated-paint-scheme-on-their-new-c-130j-fat-albert-transport) (Blue Angels’ New Fat Albert C-130 To Debut This Spring, Updated Paint Scheme Teased (Updated))     (https://www.twz.com/category/us-navy) U.S. Navy   (https://www.twz.com/32524/blue-angels-tease-updated-paint-scheme-on-their-new-c-130j-fat-albert-transport) Blue Angels’ New Fat Albert C-130 To Debut This Spring, Updated Paint Scheme Teased (Updated)   By (https://www.twz.com/authors/tyler-rogoway) Tyler Rogoway           (https://www.twz.com/air/eight-bladed-np2000-prop-upgrade-plans-for-usaf-c-130hs-cut-short) (C-130H Eight-Bladed NP2000 Prop Upgrade Plans Cut Short By USAF)     (https://www.twz.com/category/c-130) C-130   (https://www.twz.com/air/eight-bladed-np2000-prop-upgrade-plans-for-usaf-c-130hs-cut-short) C-130H Eight-Bladed NP2000 Prop Upgrade Plans Cut Short By USAF   By (https://www.twz.com/authors/joseph-trevithick) Joseph Trevithick           (https://www.twz.com/air/check-out-this-marine-ch-53k-carrying-an-f-35c-while-refueling-from-a-kc-130j) (A US Marine Corps CH-53K recently carried the stripped-down hulk of an F-35C fighter from one base to another and refueled in mid-air along the way.)     (https://www.twz.com/category/kc-130) KC-130   (https://www.twz.com/air/check-out-this-marine-ch-53k-carrying-an-f-35c-while-refueling-from-a-kc-130j) Check Out This Marine CH-53K Carrying An F-35C While Refueling From A KC-130T   By (https://www.twz.com/authors/joseph-trevithick) Joseph Trevithick           (https://www.twz.com/category/air) SEE MORE         (https://www.twz.com/) (TWZ Logo)    The TWZ Newsletter Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.   (handle_newsletter_email_submission) (d88dacfd8e) (TWZInline) (0) Email address  (Enter your email) (Please enter a valid email address)  Sign Up  Thank you!      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