The Joint Requirements Oversight Council will make the decision on which service is best able to carry out the Looking Glass responsibility, but the Pentagon “has not backed away from that mission at all," according to Air Force Lt. Gen. Andrew Gebara.
The plane will be the successor to the E-6B Mercury.
Agentic AI helps defense manufacturers speed up production, cut complexity and improve decision-making across global supply chains.
As Northrop upgrades the E-6B fleet, the company is also preparing to compete against Collins Aerospace to design and outfit the E-6B's next-gen replacement aircraft.
The service selected the C-130J-30 in December 2020 to be the base aircraft of the NC3 aircraft dubbed E-XX TACAMO.
Northrop Grumman announced a high-powered team today, but industry reps told Breaking Defense another team is forming around Collins Aerospace, setting up a showdown.