&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "'Doomsday plane' E-4B, a nuclear holocaust bunker, can stay in air for a week at a stretch, refuel in the sky")
The E-4B Nightwatch, an American "doomsday plane", flew to Joint Base Andrews in Washington, DC, Tuesday night, according to flight tracking site FlightRadar. This comes as President Donald Trump weighs striking Iran's nuclear facilities deep underground. The move by the plane was likely made as a security measure amid the Iran-Israel war. E-4B Nightwatch is the militarised version of Boeing 747-800 and has been designed as a safe bunker to keep important American officials safe in case of a nuclear war. This included the American president, the Secretary of Defence and other national security officials who can keep the government running in the face of a catastrophe on Earth.
Flight trackers noted that the plane made a long, winding route to the capital, leaving Bossier City, Louisiana, just before 6 pm on Tuesday. The plane landed in Maryland at 10 pm, flying near the coast and the border of Virginia and North Carolina, as per FlightRadar.
Also Read: Iran says committed to 'diplomacy' but won't hesitate to act in 'self-defence' against Israel
It issued an unusual callsign, ORDER01 instead of the usual ORDER6, according to flight data, sparking confusion about what was going on. Notably, the US has a fleet of four E-4Bs that make regular flights to maintain preparedness in case a situation crops up.
About the E-4B Nightwatch "doomsday plane"
It is called the "doomsday plane" because of the reason for its existence. The four aircraft are similar to what we see in apocalypse movies and TV shows, where the world is facing a crisis while the government is working to control it, sitting in a safe space. These planes are the safe space meant for US officials, kind of like a "Flying Pentagon."
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It can accommodate 112 people and is a control room for the government from where the President, Secretary of Defence, and the Chairs of the Joint Chiefs of Staff can monitor what's happening on the ground and maintain communication. They are one of a kind US Air Force aircraft, with a range of 11,265 km.
These planes can fly for an entire week without the need to ever landing on the ground and can be refuelled mid-air. The E-4B Nightwatch can also whip out missiles at enemies, survive nuclear blasts, cyberattacks and electromagnetic effects. It can communicate with anyone in any part of the world because of the 67 satellite dishes and antennas in its ray dome.
The planes have three decks, with 18 bunks, a briefing room, a teamwork area, a conference room, a command room, and a designated rest area.
The situation in Iran and Israel is getting worse by the day, with several people having lost their lives. Trump has asked Iran for “unconditional surrender,” which Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, rejected.
On Thursday, Iran launched air attacks on Israel. Several civilian areas, including a hospital, were hit by Iranian missile strikes. In Iran, the ISNA news agency reported that an area near the heavy water facility of the Khondab nuclear facility was targeted by Israel.
