Ross Wilkers
Northrop Grumman Corp. has won a contract to put communications and networking systems on the U.S. Navy’s E-6B fleet, the company announced Tuesday.
Through the Navy’s Take Charge and Move Out strategic communications relay mission, the E-6 provides airborne command, control and communications between the president, defense secretary and U.S. strategic and nonstrategic forces.
TheĀ $44.3 million contract also covers testing, logistics and training support for operational fielding.
The networking and communications systems will first be integrated into the E-6B systems integration laboratory and then go onto a single plane.
According to the company, the Navy plans to award a follow-on contract to deploy the upgraded systems to its entire E-6B fleet for use in TACAMO and U.S. Strategic Command airborne command post missions.