Amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, and President Trump’s discussions regarding potential strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, the U.S. Air Force E-4B Nightwatch, or “doomsday plane,” has garnered attention. Reports indicate it landed earlier this week at Joint Base Andrews near Washington, D.C., according to the New York Post and other outlets.
Joint Base Andrews officials, when asked about the alleged Nightwatch landing, stated to Digital that they “cannot comment on specific location or purpose of the [National Airborne Operations Center] or other aircraft on our flightline” due to operational security concerns. Some reports suggest the plane has returned to its home base after leaving the Washington area.
Here’s what you should know about the E-4B Nightwatch:
The E-4B, a militarized Boeing 747-200, is operated by the U.S. Air Force. Reportedly, it can stay airborne for up to a week with mid-air refueling capabilities.
Equipped with sixty-seven antennas and satellite dishes, the Nightwatch can communicate globally.
The U.S. has four E-4Bs, each costing $438.76 million to build.
The E-4B serves as a mobile command center, enabling national security officials, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the President, and the Secretary of Defense to maintain government operations during a nuclear conflict.
According to a USAF press release, the Secretary of Defense also uses it for international travel.
As reported, “Additionally, the E-4B provides outside the continental United States travel support for the Secretary of Defense and his staff to ensure Title 10 command and control connectivity.” also stated that in 1994, FEMA was authorized to use the plane as a command center during natural disasters.
Publicly available information indicates that “at least one E4-B is always generated as a NAOC and on alert 24 hours a day, 7 days a week” to assist senior defense officials.
The E-4B can accommodate a crew of 112 and includes 18 bunks, six bathrooms, a conference room, communications space, a briefing room, and a rest area.
The Air Force states that “the conduct of E-4B operations encompasses all phases of the threat spectrum.” The Nightwatch is designed to withstand electromagnetic pulses, nuclear blasts, and cyberattacks.
Iranian leaders have threatened to retaliate against the U.S. if it intervenes in the Israel-Iran conflict. Theresa Payton, former White House chief information officer and CEO of Fortalice Solutions, a cybersecurity firm, told Digital that Iran might on the U.S. “as it becomes more and more desperate.”
Reportedly, the president is considering using B-2 Spirit stealth bombers to deploy a series of , also known as “bunker busters,” to destroy Iran’s heavily fortified Fordow nuclear facility, which may be located more than 300 feet underground.
While Israel has targeted facilities linked to the Iranian military and nuclear program, on June 19, Iran struck Soroka Hospital, southern Israel’s largest hospital, with a ballistic missile, causing damage.