3. Mission. TACAMO E-6 Mercury aircraft and personnel provide
sustained survivable command, control, and communications
support in the execution of war plans from the President,
Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff to the nation's nuclear forces.
CJCS OPORD 2-CY Annex K, Paragraph 2 (CLASSIFIED)
4.
E-6B Aircraft Specifications
E-6B Mercury Introduced in 1997 to VQ-3
Wing span: 145 feet, 9 inches
Length: 153 feet
Height: 42 feet, 5 inches
Weight at gross takeoff: 342,000 pounds
Ceiling: 42,000 feet, patrol altitude: 25,000-30,000 feet
Speed: 512 knots
Range unrefueled: 6,700 nautical miles with 16 hours on-station
endurance
Power plant: CFM International F-108-CF-100 (CFM 56-24-2)
turbofan engines
Crew: Four flight crew, five mission crew
Contractor: Boeing
Ref: Aircraft characteristics obtained from Naval Aviation
History Office website.
5. TACAMO Security Force Mission. The Navy Security Force
provides continual physical security for all Fleet Air
Reconnaissance Squadron (TACAMO) aircraft under its protection,
and assists in facilitating the security required to safeguard
the command and control of the nation's nuclear forces.
6-2
