E-6 Mercury

The Boeing E-6 Mercury is a US military aircraft. It operates as an airborne command post and communications centre, 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").

The E-6 is found in two variants both built from a basic Boeing 707-300. 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 E-6B was a modified E-6A with additional equipment and positions to replace the EC-135. The E-6B includes an airborne launch control system, allowing it to fire the US ICBM arsenal. The first E-6B was accepted in December 1997 and the entire E-6 fleet is in the process of being modified to the E-6B standard.

E-6B

• Length: 45.8 m
• Wingspan: 45.2 m
• Height: 12.9 m
• Weight: (Maximum) 154,400 kg
• Propulsion: Four CFM-56-2A-2 High bypass turbofans
• Speed: 960 km/hr
• Ceiling: 12,200 m
• Range: 12,144 km, with 6 hours loiter time
• Crew: 22
• Cost: $141.7 million