Trump's nuclear attack 'doomsday plane' arrives in Washington
A U.S. Air Force "Doomsday Plane" arrived at Joint Base Andrews Tuesday night, fueling speculation of a potential U.S. role in the escalating Israel-Iran crisis.
The E-4B Nightwatch aircraft landed at the military facility in suburban Washington, D.C., as speculation grows over potential
U.S. military action in Iran.
Newsweek has contacted the
Pentagon for comment by email.
Why It Matters
The timing of the E-4B's deployment comes amid heightened tensions as President
Donald Trump is reported to be inching closer to
ordering military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. While the White House hasn't commented on the aircraft's latest movement, social media users are speculating it signals potential military readiness from the United States.
What To Know
The E-4B "Nightwatch,"dubbed the "Doomsday Plane" is a militarized Boeing 747. It serves as the National Airborne Operations Center and is a key component of the National Military Command System for the president, the secretary of defense and the joint chiefs of staff.
In a national emergency or loss of ground command, 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 U.S. Air Force said.
It was used during the September 11, 2001 attacks.
The use of an atypical callsign—"ORDER01" instead of the usual "ORDER6"—fueled speculation about the nature of its current mission.