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In 2015, both the Air Force and Navy realized that they needed new aircraft to serve the missions of both the E-4 and the E-6. At one point, they considered building one plane to replace both aircraft, but by 2020, the Navy decided to go its own way and develop an aircraft specifically for the TACAMO
267:
cockpit. This greatly increases the situational awareness of the pilot and saves significant cost over the previous custom avionics package. The first E-6B was accepted in
December 1997. All 16 E-6A aircraft were modified to the E-6B standard, with the final delivery taking place in December 2006.
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role, providing command and control of U.S. nuclear forces should ground-based control become inoperable. With production lasting until 1991, the E-6 was the final new derivative of the Boeing 707 to be built.
271:
The E-6 cannot use the probe-and-drogue in-flight refueling method that most other US Navy aircraft use. It uses a flying boom receptacle on the upper-forward fuselage, making it, like the Navy's
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was purchased for conversion into a dedicated E-6 trainer. This was done as a means to extend the life of the operational fleet by reducing the need for E-6s to be used for training missions.
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as of
November 2023, is expected to be fielded in the late 2020s. The Navy expects the E-6 to fulfill the TACAMO role into the 2030s as the E-XX is transitioned into service.
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The E-6B is an upgrade of the E-6A. It includes a battlestaff area and updated mission equipment. The flight deck systems were later replaced with an off-the-shelf
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Jane's all the world's aircraft, 1992–93 The US Navy – Fact File: E-6B Mercury
Airborne Command Post
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A U.S. Navy E-6B Mercury refuels from a USAF 434th Air
Refueling Wing KC-135R Stratotanker (2011)
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in autumn 1991 by request of the Navy. Sixteen E-6A planes were delivered from 1988 to 1992.
969:
Francillon, René J. (1995). "Messenger of the Gods: The Boeing E-6 Mercury in USN Service."
824:"PMA-271 Purchased A Retired RAF E-3D To Be Used As An E-6B Mercury Pilot Training Aircraft"
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for fitting of mission avionics. It was delivered to the Navy for testing in July 1988.
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914:(83rd ed.). Coulson, Surrey, UK: Jane's Information Group. pp. 349–350.
173:. This platform, now modified to the E-6B standard, conveys instructions from the
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The E-6B model deployed in
October 1998 has the ability to remotely control
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455 kn (524 mph, 843 km/h) at 40,000 ft (12,192 m)
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Lambert, Mark; Munson, Kenneth; Taylor, Michael J.H., eds. (1992).
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Airborne command post aircraft by Boeing based on 707 airframe
936:"The US Navy – Fact File: E-6B Mercury airborne command post"
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on station at 1,000 nmi (1,200 mi; 1,900 km)
850:"US Navy to field C-130J-30 in nuclear communications role"
30:"E-6B" redirects here. For the analog flight computer, see
881:"Contract award date changed for EXX-TACAMO weapon system"
705:. (Idaho). Associated Press. 19 December 1986. p. 5B.
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for its
Airborne Launch Control Mission. Selecting the
980:
Boeing 707, KC-135 and
Civilian and Military Versions
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Smiths SFM 02 digital/analog flight management system
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522 kn (601 mph, 967 km/h) dash speed
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717:"Boeing Delivers Final Upgraded E6-B to U.S. Navy."
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Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
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153:) is an airborne command post and communications
1467:1980s United States command and control aircraft
975:, Vol. 48, No 1, January 1995, pp. 19–24.
670:List of active United States military aircraft
518:6,350 nmi (7,310 mi, 11,760 km)
512:6,600 nmi (7,600 mi, 12,200 km)
379:mission, leaving the Air Force to develop the
252:in February 1987, when it was flown to nearby
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1037:
8:
982:. Paris: Histoire & Collections, 2008.
729:, 1 December 2006. Retrieved: 18 June 2011.
547:112.13 lb/sq ft (547.5 kg/m)
366:aircraft that had been in service with the
240:aircraft, the E-6 is adapted from Boeing's
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353:Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 3 (VQ-3)
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1477:United States nuclear command and control
533:72 hours maximum with multiple refuelings
248:in December 1986, the first E-6 made its
912:Jane's all the world's aircraft, 1992–93
681:
1265:Not to be confused with the unrelated
530:28 hours 54 minutes with one refueling
1017:E-6 Mercury page on tech.military.com
848:Jennings, Gareth (21 December 2020).
381:Survivable Airborne Operations Center
7:
1012:E-6 Mercury (TACAMO) page at FAS.org
891:from the original on 30 October 2023
860:from the original on 28 October 2023
460:283.4 sq ft (26.33 m)
448:148 ft 4 in (45.21 m)
442:150 ft 4 in (45.82 m)
324:The E-6A, which was initially named
161:. The original E-6A manufactured by
1002:US Navy E-6B Mercury Fact File page
822:Maranache, Martin (4 August 2021).
699:"Boeing shows prototype of new jet"
454:42 ft 5 in (12.93 m)
332:in August 1989. A second squadron,
238:Airborne Warning and Control System
771:from the original on 20 April 2017
572:Landing run at max landing weight:
25:
946:from the original on 16 June 2019
472:342,000 lb (155,129 kg)
244:airliner. Rolled out at Boeing's
466:172,795 lb (78,378 kg)
328:, entered service with squadron
275:aircraft, reliant upon specific
50:
34:. For the road in Pakistan, see
605:AN/APS-133 colour weather radar
321:GOC to control nuclear forces.
307:United States Strategic Command
192:("Take Charge And Move Out").
879:Hersey, Linda (31 July 2023).
715:Walsh, Madonna and Brad Mudd.
626:Airborne Launch Control System
541:40,000 ft (12,000 m)
527:10 hours 30 minutes unrefueled
203:. The E-6B replaced Air Force
201:Airborne Launch Control System
1:
765:"USSTRATCOM ABNCP Fact Sheet"
186:communication with submarines
1487:Aircraft first flown in 1987
978:Breffort, Dominique (2008).
568:5,400 ft (1,646 m)
562:6,700 ft (2,042 m)
480:CFM International CFM56-2A-2
182:ballistic missile submarines
169:in July 1989, replacing the
70:Airborne command and control
1007:USSTRATCOM ABNCP Fact Sheet
405:Detail of the E-6's wingtip
291:) for in-flight refueling.
1503:
1306:United States tri-service
648:Northrop Grumman E-10 MC2A
574:2,600 ft (792 m)
343:The E-6 fleet is based at
175:National Command Authority
29:
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228:Mojave Air and Space Port
226:Navy E-6B Mercury at the
165:entered service with the
163:Boeing's defense division
49:
36:E6B expressway (Pakistan)
1462:Boeing military aircraft
744:Grissom Air Reserve Base
703:Lewiston Morning Tribune
566:Max effort take-off run:
1245:Accidents and incidents
789:Francillon 1995, p. 21.
722:5 December 2006 at the
688:Breffort, 2008. p. 235.
593:AN/AIC-32 Crew Intercom
587:AN/ARC-182 VHF/UHF TxRx
427:General characteristics
1310:aircraft designations
560:Critical field length:
414:
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218:Design and development
188:), a mission known as
1095:Military designations
798:Breffort, 2008. p. 93
596:triplex Litton LTN-90
412:
404:
395:Specifications (E-6B)
345:Tinker Air Force Base
311:Offutt Air Force Base
225:
1385:Related designations
942:. 17 February 2009.
740:"Refueling a Shadow"
362:In 2021, one of the
319:US Strategic Command
615:Related development
470:Max takeoff weight:
385:Lockheed EC-130J-30
295:Operational history
281:KC-135 Stratotanker
273:Boeing P-8 Poseidon
265:737 Next Generation
62:General information
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407:
351:, and operated by
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167:United States Navy
147:Boeing E-6 Mercury
99:United States Navy
56:Boeing E-6 Mercury
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988:978-2-35250-075-9
972:Air International
599:LTN-211 VLF/Omega
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118:Introduction date
16:(Redirected from
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948:. Retrieved
940:www.navy.mil
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950:22 February
749:1 September
491:Performance
476:Powerplant:
389:E-XX TACAMO
374:Replacement
364:E-3D Sentry
121:August 1989
45:E-6 Mercury
1482:Boeing 707
1456:Categories
1250:In fiction
921:0710609876
895:30 October
864:30 October
828:Naval News
809:"About Us"
676:References
638:Boeing E-4
621:Boeing 707
522:Endurance:
458:Wing area:
299:Codenamed
279:aircraft (
235:E-3 Sentry
199:using the
149:(formerly
138:Boeing 707
90:In service
1312:post-1962
1255:Operators
1221:SAM 27000
1214:SAM 26000
854:Janes.com
446:Wingspan:
420:Data from
256:in south
233:Like the
1472:Quadjets
1319:Sequence
944:Archived
889:Archived
858:Archived
833:9 August
769:Archived
720:Archived
610:See also
580:Avionics
483:turbofan
349:Oklahoma
315:Nebraska
205:EC-135Cs
1441:EF-111A
1424:EC-130H
485:engines
452:Height:
440:Length:
338:Mercury
258:Seattle
242:707-320
207:in the
171:EC-130Q
113:History
1436:EF-10B
1431:EC-135
1419:EC-130
1414:EA-37B
1409:EA-18G
1238:Topics
1159:KC-137
1154:EC-137
1149:CC-137
1137:WC-135
1132:RC-135
1127:OC-135
1122:NC-135
1117:KC-135
1112:EC-135
1071:367-80
1058:family
1053:Boeing
986:
918:
727:Boeing
510:Range:
326:Hermes
287:, and
190:TACAMO
151:Hermes
87:Status
81:Boeing
1402:EA-6B
1144:C-137
1107:C-135
775:7 May
556:0.281
434:Crew:
184:(see
179:fleet
155:relay
1397:EA-6
1392:EP-3
1376:E-11
1371:E-10
1190:T-49
1102:C-18
984:ISBN
952:2024
916:ISBN
897:2023
866:2023
835:2021
777:2017
751:2020
478:4 ×
357:VQ-4
334:VQ-4
330:VQ-3
145:The
67:Type
18:E-6B
1366:E-9
1361:E-8
1356:E-7
1351:E-6
1346:E-5
1341:E-4
1336:E-3
1331:E-2
1326:E-1
1183:E-8
1178:E-7
1173:E-6
1168:E-3
1086:720
1081:717
1076:707
1056:707
177:to
32:E6B
1458::
1308:EW
938:.
887:.
883:.
856:.
852:.
826:.
767:.
742:.
701:.
436:22
355:,
347:,
313:,
283:,
108:16
1299:e
1292:t
1285:v
1045:e
1038:t
1031:v
954:.
924:.
899:.
868:.
837:.
811:.
779:.
753:.
554::
20:)
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