# Tacamo Modernization — Program Element 0605180N

**Program element:** 0605180N  
**Component:** U.S. Navy  
**Appropriation:** 1319 — RDT&E, Navy  
**Budget Activity:** 5 — System Development & Demonstration  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0605180N

## Summary

U.S. Navy funding ramps 59% to a $1.66B request in FY2027. In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House cut 6.6% (to $1.55B); the Senate funded it in full; House appropriators funded it in full. Northrop Grumman leads the industry work.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 727.9 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 1,044.0 |
| FY2027 | Request | 1,662.7 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 1,781.6 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 1,826.3 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 1,348.2 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 1,106.5 |

> Estimate types are not summed — the profile mixes actuals, enacted law, the request, and outyear projections.

## Congressional marks (FY2027)

| Stage | Marked ($M) | Change ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| Request | 1,662.7 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 1,552.7 | −110.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 1,662.7 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 1,662.7 | +0.0 |

> FY2027 NDAA authorization marks, as of 2026-07-27. Not appropriations or final law.

## Projects (1)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3259 | TACAMO Recap | 727.9 | 1,044.0 | 1,662.7 | +59% |

> Projects are the summable leaves: the program element total is their sum, never added to it.

### Project 3259 — TACAMO Recap

The E-6B Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) Recapitalization Program (E-130J) provides for air vehicle replacement and mission systems modernization to augment and eventually replace the aging E-6B aircraft for the TACAMO mission. The TACAMO mission provides an airborne capability for survivable, endurable and reliable airborne command, control and communications between the United States (U.S.) National Command Authority (NCA) and the U.S. strategic forces. This mission is critical in the deterrence and management of a nuclear conflict. A dedicated communications platform, TACAMO aircraft features the ability to communicate on virtually every radio frequency band from very low frequency (VLF) up through advanced extremely high frequency (AEHF) using a variety of modulations, encryptions and networks, minimizing the likelihood an emergency message being jammed by an enemy. The Engineering & Manufacturing Development (EMD) Hardware Development efforts for the design, architecture, and integration of a cyber-resilient communications systems to transform a modified C-130J-30 into E-130J through an EMD Contract awarded in FY 2025. Included in these efforts are Government and Contractor Systems Integration Laboratories, Contractor System Test Integration Laboratory, Government Furnished Property (National Security Agency approved encryption devices, Ultra High Frequency modems), High Frequency and the Advanced Extremely High Frequency solutions, Top Secret network development and building required infrastructure includes power generation systems, cooling, flight deck avionics, Electric Magnetic Pulse (EMP) hardening, cyber hardening, and structural modifications to support integration of E-130J mission system equipment. FY 2027 funding includes the purchase of three (3) C-130J-30 Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) System Demonstration Test Articles (SDTA) for mission system integration.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** Northrop Grumman (1,273.9, 77%), Lockheed Martin (254.0, 15%), NAWCAD (92.5, 5.6%), COMOPTEVFOR (6.4, 0.4%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product Development | 641.2 | 940.9 | 1,527.9 |
| Program Management and Support | 86.7 | 103.1 | 134.8 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

## Where the FY2027 request goes

| Category | Share | $M |
|---|---|---|
| Industry primes | 98% | 1,634.2 |
| Other / unspecified | 1.7% | 28.6 |

**Top named industry performers:** Northrop Grumman ($1.27B, 77%), Lockheed Martin ($254.0M, 15%), NAWCAD ($92.5M, 5.6%).

> R-3 exhibit contract funding, not USAspending obligations.

## Mission & acquisition strategy

The E-6B Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) Recapitalization Program (E-130J) provides for air vehicle replacement and mission systems modernization to augment and eventually replace the aging E-6B aircraft for the TACAMO mission. The TACAMO mission provides an airborne capability for survivable, endurable and reliable airborne command, control and communications between the United States (U.S.) National Command Authority (NCA) and the U.S. strategic forces. This mission is critical in the deterrence and management of a nuclear conflict.

The E-130J program acquisition strategy is designed to expedite the development, test, and deployment of this critical NC3 system of systems through the use of an existing aircraft (C-130J-30) and leveraging existing mission systems technology to minimize the need for new development. The E-130J program will competitively procure E-130J TACAMO-only NC3 aircraft (E-130J TACAMO Weapon Systems (TWS) aircraft), comprised of three Engineering Development Models (EDMs), up to three System Demonstration Test Articles (SDTAs), and up to 6 Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) operational aircraft (Min 3/Max 6).

## Related program elements

- [0605450M — Joint Air-to-ground Missile (JAGM)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0605450M) (Navy)
- [0603635M — Marine Corps Grnd Cmbt/Supt Sys](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603635M) (Navy)
- [0604808A — Landmine Warfare/Barrier - Eng Dev](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604808A) (Army)
- [1203913SF — Nuc Detonation Det Sys (sensors)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/1203913SF) (Space Force)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Navy RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0605180N (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0605180N")`.

*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Budget figures are requests/estimates, not obligations.*