Amid ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran, a US military aircraft was seen flying to Joint Base Andrews in Washington, DC. Also known as the ‘Doomsday Plane,’ the E-4B Nightwatch left Bossier City, Louisiana just before 6 pm on Tuesday and landed in Maryland at 10 pm, according to flight tracking site FlightRadar.
What Is Doomsday Plane E-4B?
Why In News
- Amid ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran, a US military aircraft was seen flying to Joint Base Andrews in Washington, DC. Also known as the ‘Doomsday Plane,’ the E-4B Nightwatch left Bossier City, Louisiana just before 6 pm on Tuesday and landed in Maryland at 10 pm, according to flight tracking site FlightRadar.
Concerns Sparked
- The sudden flight has sparked increased concerns about Washington’s readiness for a potential large-scale conflict. This aircraft is a critical asset designed to safeguard the secretary of defence and other national security officials while keeping the government operational in the event of a nuclear war.
- Flight tracking data showed the plane left Bossier City and landed in Maryland, after skirting the coast and circling around the Virginia-North Carolina border. Even more intriguing was its usage of the callsign ORDER01, rather than the usual ORDER6, which sparked suspicion.
- It comes as US President Donald Trump demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender” as the tension between the two longstanding enemies escalated. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, on Wednesday rejected Trump’s call. “Intelligent people who know Iran, the nation and the history of Iran, will never speak to this nation in the language of threats, because the Iranian nation cannot be surrendered,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.
- “The Americans should know that any US military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage.”
‘Doomsday Plane’
- Also called the ‘Doomsday Plane’ or ‘Flying Pentagon,‘ the E-4B Nightwatch acts as an airborne command centre for the president, secretary of defence, and joint chiefs of staff chairs, ensuring continuous crucial command, control, and communication in the event of an emergency. Each E-4B can carry a crew of up to 112 persons and has a range of over 7,000 miles.
- It is a highly-modified Boeing 747-200 aircraft that serves as the National Airborne Operations Centre (NAOC) for the US government
- Equipped with 67 satellite dishes and antennas, it can resist nuclear blasts, cyberattacks, and electromagnetic impacts and is ready to launch retaliatory missiles.
- It has three decks, which include a briefing area, a strategic meeting room, a communication zone, and 18 sleeping bunks. The maximum duration of an E-4B flight to operate in the air is 35.4 hours, without landing. The aircraft is designed to fly for up to a week without landing and is capable of refuelling mid-air.
When Was It Active Earlier?
- Historically, the E-4B has been active during major emergencies. President George W. Bush used a similar jet on 9/11, and the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) team carried on it during Hurricane Opal in 1995. This aircraft ensures that US military and civilian leadership, most notably the President of the United States, the Secretary of Defence, and top military commanders, can continue to command and control American forces even if ground-based facilities are destroyed.
- E-4B Nightwatch was developed during the Cold War, first entering service in the 1970s. It was originally designed under the Looking Glass programme to ensure the US could retaliate in case of a nuclear first strike by the Soviet Union.
- Reports suggest that during the Cold War, at least one Doomsday Plane was always airborne. However, after the Soviet Union collapsed, the E-4B no longer flew 24/7 but remained on ground alert.
- The aircraft is operated by the US Air Force’s Air Combat Command.
- Notably, the aircraft can directly communicate with nuclear submarines, bombers, and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) silos. It is equipped with Very Low Frequency (VLF) and High Frequency (HF) antennas that allow global communications, even during nuclear conflict.
Is US Preparing For War?
- Although E-4B aircraft routinely fly to ensure operational readiness, this specific sortie stood out due to its timing. The plane’s departure coincided with President Donald Trump‘s demand for an ‘unconditional surrender’ from Iran and pledged full support for Israel’s military actions.
- In a firm response, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, “This country will not surrender to anyone—neither in war nor under an imposed peace proposal.”
- At least 224 people have been killed in Iran following recent Israeli airstrikes targeting the country’s nuclear facilities.
- The aircraft’s recent flight took place around the same time as Donald Trump called for Iran’s ‘unconditional surrender’ and promised complete backing for Israel’s military moves.
- In response, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei , dismissed the US demands and issued a warning that American military action would bring “irreparable damage to them.”
- “Americans should know that any military involvement by the US will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage to them,” he said. Khamenei made the statement a day after Donald Trump posted on social media, asking Iran to surrender without any conditions. He also warned Khamenei that the US was aware of his location, adding that there were no plans to kill him, “at least not for now.”
- Although Trump earlier kept some distance from Israel’s surprise strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites, he has recently suggested the US may play a bigger role, saying he is aiming for more than just a ceasefire. Notably, more American fighter jets and warships have also been deployed to the region.
