The US Navy’s E-130J Phoenix II next-generation aircraft for TACAMO (Take Charge and Move Out) missions will receive SATCOM antennas from ThinKom.
Northrop Grumman, serving as the prime contractor and mission systems integrator for the E-130J that will replace the aging E-6B Mercury, purchased ThinKom’s ThinAir SATCOM antennas for installation on the aircraft.
According to ThinKom, its ThinAir technology was selected because of its aerodynamic design and anti-jam and survivability features, along with its multi-orbit connectivity and high-bandwidth beyond-line-of-sight capability.
These capabilities support the E-130J’s role as an airborne communications relay that connects national leaders with submerged ballistic missile submarines and other nuclear forces during a crisis or nuclear war.
“The TACAMO mission depends on communications systems that are resilient, available, and ready in the most demanding operating environments,” said Bill Milroy, ThinKom Chief Technology Officer.
“The selection of our ThinAir antenna reflects the growing importance of multi-orbit, high-throughput SATCOM capabilities for strategic airborne platforms, and we are proud to support Northrop Grumman and the US Navy on this program,” he added.
E-130J Phoenix II
The E-130J is based on Lockheed Martin’s C-130J-30 Super Hercules military transport aircraft, with its mission design series “E” standing for special electronic installation and the “130” reflecting its origin airframe.
Construction on the first aircraft began in November 2024, with the navy targeting its delivery in 2026.
The E-130J program calls for 31 aircraft, comprising six developmental aircraft and 25 production units, according to the Pentagon’s Modernized Selected Acquisition Report from July 2026.
