Last E-6A leaves Tinker. (Airscoop).On 4 February 2003, the Navy and Strategic Communications Wing 1 marked the end of an era as the last E-6A Mercury aircraft, above right, left Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., following a ceremony honoring the aircraft's final flight. Tail number 409 is the last of 16 E-6As to undergo modifications to become an E-6B. Aircraft 409 was the last TACAMO TACAMO Take Charge & Move Out aircraft to be solely dedicated to the mission of sending messages to Trident missile Trident missile U.S.-made submarine-launched ballistic missile. The most advanced Trident missiles, deployed by the U.S. Navy since 1990 and by the Royal Navy since 1994, are more accurate than most land-based ballistic missiles. submarines. Once the 10-month modifications are completed it will be able to communicate with all of the strategic forces, including bombers, ICBM ICBM: see guided missile. ICBM in full intercontinental ballistic missile Land-based, nuclear-armed ballistic missile with a range of more than 3,500 mi (5,600 km). Only the U.S. missile silos and Trident missile submarines. The upgrades include the addition of a battlestaff area, installation of the MILSTAR MILSTAR Military Strategic Tactical Relay MILSTAR Military Strategic, Tactical & Relay (SATCOM) satellite communications system and incorporation of the UHF (Ultra High Frequency) The range of electromagnetic frequencies from 300 MHz to 3 GHz. In the U.S., analog television has used UHF channels 52 to 69 in the 700 MHz band. Command, Control and Communications system. "These added systems will allow a battlestaff composed of members from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force to send messages to all of America's nuclear forces, including strategic bombers, ICBM missile silos and, of course, submarines," explained Capt. Gerald Geletzke, Commander, Strategic Communications Wing 1. The upgrade program is the result of the additional role that the Navy E-6B took over on 1 October 1998 when the E-6B replaced the Air Force's EC-135 in performing the "Looking Glass" missions, which had been flown by the Air Force for the previous 29 years. |
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