Official VQ-4 Shadows E-6B Shoulder Patch — TACAMO and the Nuclear Mission The Shadows of VQ-4 fly the E-6B Mercury — the airborne link to America's nuclear deterrent. Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 4 (VQ-4), the Shadows, operates the E-6B Mercury, providing the Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) mission for U.S. Strategic Command. This shoulder patch identifies the wearer as part of one of the most critical and least-known squadrons in the Navy. VQ-4's E-6B aircraft serve as airborne command posts and communications relays for the nation's nuclear submarine force, ensuring that the President can communicate launch orders to ballistic missile submarines even if ground-based communications are destroyed. The Shadows literally fly the doomsday mission. Perfect For: VQ-4 Shadows aircrew, E-6B Mercury enthusiasts, TACAMO mission historians, and nuclear deterrence shoulder patch collectors. Shadows — TACAMO, the airborne nuclear link.
