American is about to get a new fleet of “doomsday planes” that some say is a signal the nation could be preparing for World War III.
The US Air Force announced a $13 billion contract to develop aircraft to replace the aging Boeing jets used to protect the president during a nuclear attack.
The money was awarded to Sierra Nevada Corp, which will design a successor to the E-4B ‘Nightwatch’, which features a mobile command post that can withstand nuclear explosions and electromagnetic effects.
The project, called Survival Airborne Operations Center, is expected to be completed in 2036.
The Air Force has a fleet of four E-4Bs, of which at least one is always ready, but the Boeings are aging and many parts are outdated
The US Air Force has announced a $13 billion contract to develop aircraft to replace the aging Boeing jets used to protect the president during a nuclear attack.
The Air Force has a fleet of four E-4Bs, of which at least one is always ready, but the Boeings are aging and many parts are outdated.
Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), an American aerospace company, said: “SNC is building the air command center of the future!
“SAOC is a highly specialized aircraft that provides continuous critical command, control and communications during national emergencies for POTUS, the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
“We are honored to support this important mission.”
Boeing was dismissed as the sole provider of the doomsday planes in December 2023 after the company and the US military could not agree on a price for the next-generation fleet.
Details of SNC’s design have not been shared, but the device will likely resemble the current E-4B ‘Nightwatch’.
Details of SNC’s design have not been shared, but the device will likely resemble the current E-4B ‘Nightwatch’. The new fleet will likely include a communications and briefing room
A kitchen will also likely be part of the design in the two-story plane
The current doomsday aircraft includes an advanced satellite communications system, shielding from nuclear and thermal effects, acoustic control and an advanced air conditioning system for cooling electrical components.
The aircraft can also be refueled in mid-air and have remained airborne and operational for as many as 35.4 hours in one stint.
The engine can produce 52,500 pounds of thrust and the aircraft can carry up to 800,000 pounds.
Each E-4B ‘Nightwatch’ is 71 meters long, has a wingspan of 60 meters and cost $223 million to make.
The Air Force said in its 2024 budget request that SAOC “will provide a global, survivable and persistent National Military Command System (NMCS) hub to meet national security requirements at all stages of conflict,” according to SWNS.
The current doomsday aircraft includes an advanced satellite communications system, shielding from nuclear and thermal effects, acoustic control and an advanced air conditioning system for cooling electrical components
“As the command, control, and communications center that directs U.S. military forces, executes emergency war orders, and coordinates the activities of civilian authorities, including national contingency plans, this capability ensures continuity of operations and continuity of government as required in a national emergency or after denial/destruction. of ground command and control centers,” the military branch added.
‘SAOC will meet the requirements of the AF Nuclear Mission by providing Nuclear Command, Control and Communications (NC3) capabilities to enable the exercise of authority and direction by the President to command and control about US military nuclear weapons operations.’
SNC has not revealed which airframe they will use for their doomsday aircraft.
The E-4Bs are operated by the First Airborne Command and Control Squadron of the 595th Command and Control Group, coordinated by the United States Strategic Command and based near Omaha, Nebraska, at Offutt Air Force Base.
One of the doomsday planes was sent on a four-hour training flight in 2022 after Vladimir Putin put Russia’s nuclear forces on high alert.
Military flight tracking locations showed the modified Boeing 747 had taken off from the US Air Force Base in Lincoln, Nebraska and conducted a training flight with other specialized military aircraft.
However, the current war climate has also led to fears of nuclear war, as Russia has threatened to place nuclear weapons in space.
The Ukrainian war with the country is still ongoing and now there is a conflict between Israel and Palestine in the Middle East.