Boeing
Boeing E-6A Mercury
The Boeing E‑6A Mercury is a modified Boeing 707‑320B airframe that entered service with the United States Navy in the early 1980s. Developed from the KC‑135 and commercial 707 platforms, it was designated TACAMO (Take Charge and Move Out) to provide a survivable airborne communications link between national command authorities and strategic nuclear forces. First delivered in 1984, the E‑6A replaced older EC‑130Q aircraft and has logged thousands of flight hours worldwide.
Key features include a robust communications suite with very low frequency (VLF) transmitters, satellite links, and line‑of‑sight radios, allowing the plane to send emergency action messages to submarines, bombers and ground stations. The airframe carries a nose‑mounted “mini‑UHF” array and a dorsal VLF antenna that can be extended in flight. A crew of up to five pilots and communications specialists operates the aircraft from dedicated workstations.
The E‑6A’s significance lies in its role as a critical element of the United States’ nuclear command and control architecture, ensuring strategic orders can be relayed even if ground networks are destroyed. Its reliability and endurance have made it a cornerstone of airborne command and control, influencing later models such as the E‑6B.
Key features include a robust communications suite with very low frequency (VLF) transmitters, satellite links, and line‑of‑sight radios, allowing the plane to send emergency action messages to submarines, bombers and ground stations. The airframe carries a nose‑mounted “mini‑UHF” array and a dorsal VLF antenna that can be extended in flight. A crew of up to five pilots and communications specialists operates the aircraft from dedicated workstations.
The E‑6A’s significance lies in its role as a critical element of the United States’ nuclear command and control architecture, ensuring strategic orders can be relayed even if ground networks are destroyed. Its reliability and endurance have made it a cornerstone of airborne command and control, influencing later models such as the E‑6B.
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Classification
Design & Classification
- Manufacturer
- Boeing
- Nickname
- Mercury
- Military Designation
- E-6A
- Wikidata ID
- Q106340494