Air Force breaks silence on 'Doomsday plane' flight that sparked US bombing fears
President Donald Trump 's emergency command aircraft was caught flying over parts of the US on Tuesday, sparking fears that an attack on US soil was imminent.
Flight trackers spotted the Boeing E-4B 'Nightwatch,' also known as the 'Doomsday plane,' soaring from Louisiana to Maryland.
The Doomsday plane serves as a flying command post for key officials during times of crisis, particularly designed to survive a nuclear attack and coordinate military actions.
The craft took off from Bossier City at 5:56pm ET, traveled along the coast, looped around the border of Virginia and North Carolina, before landing at Joint Base Andrews at 10:01pm.
The flight sparked speculation about heightened presidential security amid growing tensions in the Middle East, where reports suggest Trump supports Israel 's military actions against Iran, demanding Tehran's 'unconditional surrender.'
However, the Air Force clarified that the flight was a pre-scheduled mission unrelated to current Middle East events.
The military unit also shared a post on X the day after the flight, showing Secretary Dr Troy Meink boarding the E-4B.
The post explained that Secretary Meink visited Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) yesterday for a Major Command (MAJCOM) immersion, a deep, firsthand overview of the command's operations.
No additional details have been provided, but the Air Force shared the post with Snopes when it enquired about Tuesday's flight.
The Doomsday plane took off from Barksdale Air Force Base. However, the craft is traditionally stored at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska.
FlightAware shows that the craft first left near Window Rock, Arizona, at 10:37am on Tuesday, making the trip to the Louisiana base.
It can be deployed to other bases for operational readiness and in support of various missions.
Past missions included transporting FEMA crews and acting as a command post during Hurricane Opal in 1995.
A plane was also reportedly used as a safe haven for President George W Bush after the 9/11 attacks.
However, the craft is not always used as doomsday vessels. The Secretary of Defense will occasionally travel overseas in an E-4B.
While Tuesday's flight was pre-scheduled, it came just hours before Khamenei said that Iran would 'stand firm against an imposed war, just as it will stand firm against an imposed peace.'
'This nation will not surrender to anyone in the face of imposition,' he said in his first televised comments since Israel launched its surprise attack on Friday.
Khamenei also alluded to Trump's recent statements, saying that 'intelligent people who know Iran, the Iranian nation, and its history will never speak to this nation in threatening language'.
'The Americans should know that any US military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage,' he added.
Khamenei said that Israel had made a 'huge mistake' with its campaign, promising that it will be 'punished.'
Trump will decide in the next two weeks whether the US will get involved in the Israel-Iran air war, the White House said on Thursday, raising pressure on Tehran to come to the negotiating table.
Citing a message from Trump, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters: 'Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks.'
The US has a total of four E-4B aircraft, featuring unique capabilities that cannot be duplicated by any other aircraft used by the Air Force.
They have thermal and nuclear shielding, and are capable of withstanding nuclear blasts, electromagnetic effects and cyberattacks. They can also launch retaliatory missiles.
The plane carries special equipment and can communicate with anyone, anywhere in the world, and support analysts and strategists in-flight. E-4Bs have 67 satellite dishes and antennas in the ray dome.
Doomsday planes have three decks, which include a command room, conference room, briefing room, teamwork area, communications room and a designated rest area featuring 18 bunks.
The planes have remained airborne and operational for as long as 35.4 hours in one stint, but they were designed to operate in-flight for a full week without needing to land. The E-4B is also capable of refueling mid-air.
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