The company said the agreement expands its role in supporting military readiness through training and sustainment services. Lockheed Martin said the effort will help prepare Navy personnel before the aircraft enters operational service.
The E-130J Phoenix II is based on Lockheed Martin’s C-130J-30 Super Hercules platform. The aircraft is being developed to support the Navy’s TACAMO mission by maintaining communication links with U.S. strategic forces.
The company said the aircraft will provide a resilient airborne communications platform designed to ensure uninterrupted connectivity between U.S. decision-makers and the country’s strategic nuclear triad if ground-based communication systems are disrupted.
“As the original equipment manufacturer of the C-130J, Lockheed Martin is uniquely qualified to partner with Northrop Grumman to meet the U.S. Navy’s E-130J training requirements,” said Todd Morar.
“Our expertise in the aircraft’s design and performance allows us to recreate real-world avionics and communications environments, ensuring highly realistic and effective training,” Morar added.
Lockheed Martin said it is a major provider of training systems for specialized C-130 aircraft. The company said similarities between the C-130J and the E-130J will allow it to accelerate the development of high-fidelity simulation systems.
The training systems are designed to keep pace with aircraft modernization and operational requirements. Lockheed Martin said the devices will help crews prepare for complex mission environments.
By supplying training systems and related services, the company said it will help Navy personnel learn the aircraft’s mission systems before operational deployment. Training will cover very low frequency communications and integrated command-and-control capabilities used in the TACAMO mission.
