The U.S. military's most dangerous weapon isn't the F-22 Raptor, Arleigh Burke class destroyer, or even the new aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford. It's a converted airliner that doesn't carry a single weapon but can start—or finish—World War III. It's the E-6 Mercury.
The E-6 Mercury, The National Interest explains, is designed to fight a nuclear war. Described by the U.S. Navy as a "communications relay and strategic airborne command post aircraft," the E-6 is also called TACAMO, an acronym that stands for Take Charge and Move Out. This reflects its mission during a crisis: get in the air quickly and avoid being destroyed in a nuclear first strike.
The E-6, also known as "Looking Glass", uses Very Low Frequency (VLF) radios to communicate with Ohio-class fleet ballistic missile submarines, relaying orders from the National Command Authority—including orders to launch Trident nuclear missiles.The E-6 also has the ability to relay orders to land-based ICBMs as a backup the Air Force's E-4B "Nightwatch" command and control aircraft.
The 16 converted airliners have a flight crew of 22 and can stay aloft for long periods of time, broadcasting Emergency Action Messages (EAMs) to U.S. strategic nuclear forces around the globe. EAMs are frequently picked up by amateur radio enthusiasts. Here's one uploaded to YouTube:
"Skyking" messages are directed at U.S. nuclear assets and command and control.
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Kyle Mizokami is a writer on defense and security issues and has been at Popular Mechanics since 2015. If it involves explosions or projectiles, he's generally in favor of it. Kyle’s articles have appeared at The Daily Beast, U.S. Naval Institute News, The Diplomat, Foreign Policy, Combat Aircraft Monthly, VICE News, and others. He lives in San Francisco.
