The U.S. Navy has come up with a mythically resonant name for its next-generation airborne nuclear strike communications plane: the Phoenix II.
As per a recent press statement from Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), going forward the E-130J — based on Lockheed Martin’s C-130J Super Hercules and being reconfigured by Northrop Grumman (NG) — will be known as the Phoenix II.
The Navy’s new Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) mission aircraft, the Phoenix IIs will replace the Navy’s E-6B Mercury fleet.
Their role is to simultaneously communicate with ballistic missile submarines, land-based Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) silos, and airborne nuclear assets carried in bombers such as the B-1 Lancer, the B-2 Stealth, and the forthcoming B-21 Raider.
As per NAVAIR the name was picked “representing the mythical bird whose ability is to be reborn and represents a symbol of immortality, resurrection, and renewal.”
Capt. Roger Davis, programme manager at the U.S. Navy’s Airborne Strategic Command, Control and Communications Programme Office (PMA-271), commented: “Phoenix II is the ideal popular name as we take the E-130J TACAMO mission into its next phase.”
He added: “A phoenix is known for its resilience, exceptionally long lifespan, and its ability to transform and continue its purpose.
“The dedicated team at PMA-271 have committed to the ideals of TACAMO’s critical deterrence mission when executing this new platform; transforming the legacy mission aircraft into a new weapon system with unmatched survivability and longevity for this country.”
Back in January 2025 it was announced that NG had secured a contract worth almost $3.5 billion from the U.S. Navy to develop the next-generation TACAMO plane.
Under the deal NG will be the prime contractor integrating TACAMO equipment, including the Collins Aerospace Very Low Frequency system, into the E-130J.
As per a recent U.S. Navy press statement, the contract is for three Engineering Development Models (EDMs) and options for up to three System Demonstration Test Articles (SDTAs) and up to six aircraft in the first production run.
- You can read more details on the NAVAIR website