About Boeing E-4B Nightwatch:
- The Boeing E-4B Nightwatch, widely known as the “Doomsday Plane”, is the most secretive aircraft in the US military’s arsenal.
- It serves as the National Airborne Operations Center and functions as a flying command post.
- It is designed to keep the US government operational during extreme scenarios such as nuclear war, catastrophic attacks on US soil, or the destruction of ground-based command centres.
- Its mission is to ensure the US government can continue to function even if “doomsday" arrives.
- It is a core component of the military’s Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications system, often referred to as NC3, which enables senior leaders to authorize and manage nuclear forces under all conditions.
- Features:
- It is built on a heavily modified Boeing 747-200
- The aircraft is hardened against electromagnetic pulse effects, shielded against nuclear and thermal radiation, and equipped with multiple layers of secure communications.
- The aircraft can remain airborne for extended periods using in-flight refuelling, allowing national leadership to operate independently of ground infrastructure.
