Navy awards over $3.4 billion to Northrop Grumman for TACAMO aircraft

The Navy has awarded over $3.4 billion to Northrop Grumman for the engineering and manufacturing development of the E-130J, the Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) mission aircraft, according to a contract announcement Wednesday.

The contract includes funding designated for integration laboratories, training courses and devices, product support and the test and delivery of three engineering development model aircraft, according to the announcement.

Collins Aerospace and Lockheed Martin will be the designated subcontractors.

“This contract provides for the design, development, and integration of mature subsystems, to include Collins Aerospace’s Very Low Frequency into the government-furnished C-130J-30 air vehicle,” the announcement states.

The Navy’s program for airborne nuclear command, control and communications will replace the aging E-6B aircraft and is set to transition to a major capability acquisition pathway in the first quarter of fiscal year 2025, a Navy spokesperson told Inside Defense in August.