Navy Takes Delivery of New Super Hercules for Nuclear Command Mission

This acquisition bolsters the Navy’s Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) mission, which ensures constant, survivable links to U.S. nuclear forces. Northrop Grumman will lead the next phase of the program, integrating the complex mission systems required to transform the transport aircraft into a hardened airborne command post.

The project signals a return to the Hercules platform for the TACAMO wing, which relied on the older EC-130Q variant between 1963 and 1993. While Lockheed Martin confirmed the handover of the airframe, the company withheld specific financial details and the projected timeline for the platform’s final deployment into active service.