US EditionBoeing Doomsday Plane Travels to LA with Hegseth
The E-4B Nightwatch, a flying command center designed for nuclear emergencies, landed at LAX during an industrial tour with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth aboard.
- On January 6, 2026 the USAF’s Boeing E-4B Nightwatch moved from Offutt Air Force Base, Omaha, Nebraska, to Joint Base Andrews, then flew to Los Angeles International Airport on January 8, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth aboard part of the journey, according to US media reports.
- Operational-Readiness activities such as system checks and crew training routinely prompt E-4B repositioning, supporting the National Airborne Operations Center for the President of the United States and Secretary of Defense.
- Its advanced communications suite and in-flight refuelling capability give the E-4B extended endurance for command operations, accommodating up to 110 people and flying 12 hours unrefuelled or 35.4 hours with refuelling.
- Amid heightened geopolitical tensions, viral sightings prompted widespread online speculation about the E-4B’s movements, but the Pentagon gave no official reason and defence experts stress visibility doesn’t mean crisis.
- The US Air Force operates four E-4B Nightwatch aircraft assigned to the 1st Airborne Command and Control Squadron, with at least one on alert, and reports plans for a $45 million replacement fleet.
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The U.S. presidential aircraft known as Doomsday Plane, or “final-trial aircraft,” was picked up at Los Angeles airport on Thursday, January 8. Various platforms picked up the fact and social media users speculated about the meaning of the plane landing in California City. The U.S. Air Force notes that the Boeing E-4B plane has the mission to function as an air command, control and communications center during a national emergency. This role inc…
derwesten.de
The Trump administration's so-called "doomsday plane" was sighted in the sky, causing panic among many.
The Boeing E-4B Nightwatch, known internationally as the "Doomsday Plane", was designed in the 1970s, at the height of the Cold War, as a survival shelter for American political and military leadership in the event of a nuclear attack.
US Doomsday nuclear plane spotted in Washington: Why is it called the 'flying Pentagon'
The US military’s E-4B Nightwatch, the airborne command centre designed for nuclear war and national catastrophe, was spotted on an unusual multi-city flight, prompting scrutiny. The rare public appearance drew attention to the aircraft’s role as the National Airborne Operations Center, its ...
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