TACAMO

Its primary mission is serving as a signals relay, where it receives orders from a command plane such as Operation Looking Glass, and verifies and retransmits their Emergency Action Messages (EAMs) to US strategic forces.

This airborne communications capability largely replaced the land-based extremely low frequency (ELF) broadcast sites which became vulnerable to nuclear strike.

[2] The program was expanded in 1966 using modified C-130s designated Lockheed EC-130G/Q carrying a VLF system built by Collins Radio Company.

TACAMO consisted of twelve Lockheed EC-130Q aircraft equipped with VLF transmitters using long trailing wire antennas.

[1] After the upgrade to the E-6B, the TACAMO aircraft—with the addition of an Airborne Launch Control System (ALCS)—took over the EC-135 Looking Glass mission formerly conducted by the USAF 55th Wing at Offutt AFB, Nebraska.

In early 1991 TACAMO planes, which have been in the air nonstop for nearly three decades, were transferred to "interim ground alert" and their flights continued on a "random basis" off the US east and west coasts.