One of the US’s special nuclear-resistant “Doomsday Planes” was spotted landing near Washington DC as American President Donald Trump threatens a major escalation with strikes on Iran. US Air Force E-4B, a militarised version of a Boeing 747-200 kitted out to provide maximimum protection to US leadership in times of crisis, touched down at Joint Base Andrews on Tuesday, according to reports.
The plane, also known as Nightwatch, arrived only hours after Trump has a crisis meeting with national security advisors in the White House about the conflict that has broken out between Israel and Iran in recent days. Trump has issued increasingly pointed warnings about Washington joining Israel in striking at Iran’s nuclear program, saying Wednesday that he doesn’t want to carry out a US strike on the Islamic Republic but suggesting he is ready to act if it’s necessary.
The State Department has begun evacuating nonessential diplomats and their families from the US embassy in Israel as Israel and Iran continue to exchange missile strikes.
Experts fear the volatile situation could spill into a wider war, and the possibility of the US’ involvement has produced splits in the Republican party.
Data from flight tracking site FlightRadar showed the plane travelling along the coast and looping around the border of Virginia and North Carolina. It then circled over Virginia and North Carolina before heading to DC.
It prompted fears that Washington could upping security for President ahead of an attack, though the fleet of four E-4Bs makes makes regular flights throughout the year to ensure they’re ready when needed.
The four-engine planes are designed to be an air-borne war room for US leadership, with high altitude capabilities, the ability to refuel in flight, and protection against the effects of electromagnetic pulse. At least one of the four planes is always on 24-hour alert at all times.
They’re assigned to to the 595th Command and Control Group at Nebraska’s Offutt Air Force Base, as per Metro.co.uk.
The vast aircraft has a command work area, conference room, briefing room, an operations team work area, communications area and rest area on the main deck, according to the US’s Airforce Global Strike Command, with capacity for up to 112 people.
The air force says in a “national emergency or destruction of ground command and control centers, the aircraft provides a highly survivable command, control and communications center to direct U.S. forces, execute emergency war orders and coordinate actions by civil authorities”.
The US is reportedly in the process of replacing the fleet, signing a contract with Sierra Nevada Corporation to develop a replacement as per The Aviationist.
The White House hasn’t commented on the flight.