The improve enhances strategic communications capabilities for the nation’s senior management.
Northrop Grumman Corp. carried out the upgrades over the past 12 months at its Plane Upkeep and Fabrication Heart at Lake Charles. Below its Built-in Upkeep and Modification Contract (IMMC) with the Navy, it can overhaul a number of E-6B Mercury plane by 2027. The $111 million contract offers six main modifications—known as Block II—to enhance the aircrafts’ command, management and communications features connecting the Nationwide Command Authority with U.S. strategic and non-strategic forces.
Block II will make sure the E-6B can efficiently execute its mission for years to return. Upgrades to the second plane are already underway.
“The supply of the primary IMMC plane is a monumental achievement,” stated Bob Stailey, the E-6B deputy program supervisor for the Airborne Strategic Command, Management and Communications Program Workplace, which awarded and manages the upkeep contract. “We’re delivering enhanced capabilities to the fleet faster and guaranteeing they’ve the instruments to efficiently execute this crucial mission for years to return.”
Working with the Navy, Northrop Grumman is getting nearer to the contract’s required turnaround time of six months by implementing course of enhancements that span engineering, scheduling, administration and manufacturing. That is the primary time a single firm is liable for your entire set up, decreasing forms and bettering velocity.
“An unimaginable quantity of labor went into this plane, which may now carry out its nuclear deterrence mission higher than ever.” stated Capt. Adam Scott, program supervisor. “In the course of the previous 12 months, the crew that fielded this functionality labored tirelessly to implement enhancements to ship the Block II functionality with urgency.”
Pilots from Strategic Communications Wing One (SCW-1) picked up the aircraft on June 6 and flew it dwelling to Tinker Air Pressure Base, Oklahoma.
The E-6B Mercury is a communications relay and strategic airborne command put up plane. It executes the Take Cost and Transfer Out (TACAMO) mission, connecting the nation’s senior management with naval ballistic missile forces throughout instances of disaster, and the Airborne Command Submit mission, which facilitates the launch of U.S. land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles utilizing an airborne launch management system.
It’s flown by Navy Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadrons 3 and 4 beneath SCW-1 out of Tinker Air Pressure Base.
The Airborne Strategic Command, Management and Communications Program Workplace is an acquisition command with the mission of delivering and supporting survivable, dependable and endurable airborne command, management and communications for the president, Secretary of Protection and U.S. Strategic Command. This system’s imaginative and prescient is to offer nationwide safety and deterrence via assured airborne strategic communications.
