E-6 Mercury

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E-6 Mercury
A United States Navy E-6B at RAF Mildenhall in 2001.
Type	Command and Control
Manufacturer	Boeing
Designed by	Boeing
Maiden flight	February 1987
Introduced	August 1989
Primary user	United States Navy
Number built	16
Unit cost	US$141.7 million
Developed from	Boeing 707-320

The Boeing E-6 Mercury is an American military aircraft. It operates as an airborne command post and communications center, relaying instructions from the National Command Authority. Its role in relaying to the fleet ballistic missile submarines gives it the suffix TACAMO ("Take Charge and Move Out").

Contents 1 History 1.1 Origins 1.2 Development 1.3 Entry into service 1.4 Design evolution 2 Design characteristics 3 Combat service 4 Milestones 5 Specifications () 6 Popular culture 7 References 8 External links 9 Related content

[edit] History

Like the E-3 Sentry AWACS, the E-6 Mecury is adapted from Boeing's 707-320 commercial airliner. Only one version of the E-6 currently exists, the E-6B. The E-6B is an upgraded version of the E-6A that now includes a battlestaff area for the USSTRATCOM Airborne Command Post and new the flight deck systems replacing the aging 1970s-style cockpit with an off-the-shelf 737 Next Generation cockpit. This greatly increases the situational awareness of the pilot and saves significant cost over a custom avionics package.

The E-6A was designed to replace the EC-130 and was accepted by the US Navy in August 1989, sixteen were delivered up to 1992. The first E-6B was accepted in December 1997 and the entire E-6 fleet was modified to the E-6B standard, with the final delivery taking place on December 1, 2006. ^[1]

[edit] Origins

[edit] Development

[edit] Entry into service

[edit] Design evolution

[edit] Design characteristics

[edit] Combat service

[edit] Milestones

[edit] Specifications ()

Data from Navy Fact File^[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: 22
• Length: 150 ft 4 in (45.8 m)
• Wingspan: 148 ft 4 in (45.2 m)
• Height: 42 ft 5 in (12.9 m)
• Loaded weight: 342,000 lb (154,400 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 342,000 lb (154,400 kg)
• Powerplant: 4× CFMI CFM-56-2A-2 high-bypass turbofans

Performance

• Maximum speed: 522 knots (600 mph, 960 km/h)
• Range: 6,600 nm (7,590 sm, 12,144 km with 6 hours loiter time)
• Service ceiling: > 40,000 ft (12,200 m)

[edit] Popular culture

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• E-6 MERCURY (TACAMO) at FAS website

[edit] Related content

 

 

Designation sequence

E-3 - E-4 - E-5 - E-6 - E-7 - E-8 - E-9

Related lists

• List of active United States military aircraft