'Doomsday Plane' Accompanies Biden, Underscoring Heightened Tensions

As President Joe Biden traveled in Europe on Thursday for NATO meetings linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the so-called “Doomsday Plane,” a U.S. Air Force E-4B Nightwatch, wasn’t too far away.

Thom Patterson

Thursday, March 24, 2022 at 04:15 PM ET

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The U.S. Air Force E-4B Nightwatches are highly modified military versions of Boeing’s 747-200. [Courtesy U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Air Force E-4B Nightwatch, or "Doomsday Plane," was deployed to Europe during President Biden's NATO meetings on the Russia-Ukraine war, serving as a stark reminder of the region's elevated defensive posture.
The E-4B is a National Airborne Operations Center (NAOC), designed as a flying war room capable of commanding high-level military operations, including nuclear strikes, and is always on alert.
This modified Boeing 747 is built to be highly survivable in a nuclear strike environment, featuring protections against electromagnetic pulses and nuclear/thermal effects, along with advanced communication systems to ensure continuous command for extended periods.

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Designed to serve as a flying war room, one of four E-4Bs—officially dubbed the National Airborne Operations Center (NAOC)—was spotted this week by ADS-B tracking apps en route from the U.S. to Europe in advance of Biden’s Air Force One flight to NATO headquarters in Brussels. On Thursday, apps tracked the plane—call sign GRIM99—over England.