Concerns raised last year by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) regarding the E-130J Phoenix II aircraft project "have materialized," according to a report published on 2/7. The decision point for transitioning the project to low-rate initial production has also been postponed by about one year.

Joseph Trevithick, editor of the military news site War Zone, indicated that this information means the decision to begin low-rate initial production (LRIP) of the aircraft will be pushed back to 4/2029.

An artist's rendering of the E-130J aircraft. Graphics: Northrop Grumman

"The U.S. Navy awarded the contract despite acknowledging that the E-130J program faces significant technical risks. An independent assessment in 9/2024 highlighted the complexity of the integration plan within the program framework. U.S. Navy officials also admitted that the aircraft will be much more complex with the integration of new technologies," the GAO stated.

The E-130J aircraft is being developed to replace the U.S. Navy's E-6B Mercury in its TACAMO mission role, providing airborne command and control capabilities and launch orders for the strategic nuclear missile submarine fleet.

Vehicles performing nuclear support missions like TACAMO are often referred to as "doomsday planes."

The GAO previously questioned the decision to select the C-130J-30 Hercules transport airframe as the development platform for the E-130J. It suggested that the C-130J series might not meet operational capacity requirements. The E-6B aircraft was built on the Boeing 707 passenger jet, which is larger than the C-130J and uses turbofan engines, but its production line has long been closed.

"Program officials stated that the contractor is focusing on modifying existing mission systems to reduce their volume. According to an independent assessment, this is essential for them to be installed on the C-130J-30 aircraft," the GAO noted in its report published on 2/7.

An E-6B Mercury aircraft landing at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, U.S. in 2024. Photo: USAF

The U.S. Navy plans to acquire six E-130J prototypes in fiscal year 2027 to support the development process. At least one aircraft is currently under construction. Some of these aircraft may later be integrated into service.

Meanwhile, the first LRIP batch is expected to consist of three to six aircraft. The total number of E-130J aircraft the U.S. Navy will eventually deploy remains unclear.

Pham Giang (According to War Zone)