US Navy Receives First Upgraded E-6B 'Doomsday' Aircraft, Northrop Grumman Prepares for Future Successor

The United States Navy has taken delivery of the initial modernised Northrop Grumman E-6B ‘Mercury’ aircraft, popularly known as the ‘Doomsday’ plane, which plays a critical role in facilitating communication between the President and the nation's nuclear submarine fleet. This delivery is part of a larger contract valued at $111 million awarded to Northrop Grumman, aimed at ensuring the long-term operational effectiveness of these aircraft.

Following its departure from the Louisiana facility, the aircraft was transported to Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma, where it will be stationed. Northrop Grumman reported that the E-6B underwent integration with five new kits, enhancing its command, control, and communications systems. This upgrade reinforces the US Navy's nuclear deterrence capabilities and maintains a vital connection between the President and the nation's nuclear arsenal, ensuring readiness in the event of an attack.

According to the Naval Air Systems Command, the agency responsible for aircraft procurement, the modifications to the E-6B aircraft were carried out over the past year, and the plane was delivered this month. The $111 million contract includes six major modifications, referred to as Block II, aimed at improving the aircraft's command, control, and communications functions, facilitating seamless connectivity between the National Command Authority and US strategic and non-strategic forces. Northrop Grumman confirmed that the second aircraft designated for upgrades has arrived at its Lake Charles facility, where modernization work has commenced.

In February 2022, Northrop Grumman was awarded the integrated maintenance and modification contract to upgrade the E-6B fleet based on the commercial Boeing 707 platform at its facilities in Lake Charles, Louisiana. By selecting a single company to streamline the modification process, the US Navy aims to reduce bureaucracy and enhance efficiency and speed for the E-6B fleet upgrades. The contract mandates that Northrop Grumman overhauls a total of 12 E-6B Mercury aircraft by 2027.

Scott Pfeiffer, Vice President of Platform Sustainment and Mission Readiness at Northrop Grumman, expressed the company's utilisation of state-of-the-art technology in the modernization process. This initiative aligns with the Navy's objective of ensuring resilient, dependable, and enduring airborne command, control, and communications capabilities between the National Command Authority and strategic and non-strategic forces, ensuring continuous mission readiness.

The E-6B Mercury aircraft is equipped with specialised equipment that enables seamless communication between its operators and the Navy's submarine fleet, even when the submarines are submerged. This crucial capability ensures the delivery of orders from the President if the submarines are required to launch their nuclear weapons. The E-6B fleet is operated by Navy Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadrons 3 and 4, under the umbrella of Strategic Communications Wing One, flying from Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma.

In addition to the ongoing contract to upgrade the E-6B fleet, Northrop Grumman is also progressing toward competing with Collins Aerospace for the E-XX TACAMO program. The E-XX TACAMO program aims to develop a successor aircraft to replace the E-6B in the future. This next-generation aircraft will integrate a Lockheed-built airframe with a Very Low-Frequency subsystem and a modernised TACAMO mission system. Northrop Grumman and Collins Aerospace, along with their respective partners, will participate in a competitive process to secure the task of integrating pre-selected equipment and designing and outfitting the remaining components for the new aircraft. The Navy anticipates awarding the contract by September 2024.