Doomsday Plane Lands In North Carolina
One of my closest friends in life is a retired Naval Aviator. I’ll never forget something he told me when he was leaving active duty. He said he was the…
One of my closest friends in life is a retired Naval Aviator. I'll never forget something he told me when he was leaving active duty. He said he was the last of his first squadron that was still alive. At the time we weren't in any conflicts as a nation, so I was confused. He explained, "You have no idea what we're up to as a nation in the name of protecting freedom." Those words echoed in my head today as I read about the "Doomsday Plane" landing in Goldsboro, North Carolina.
What Is The Doomsday Plane?
This is/was my overriding question as well. I mean, the name is ominous at its most optimistic, right? Okay. The Doomsday Plane is actually a modified Boeing 747-200. Specifically, we're talking about the Boeing E-4 Advanced Airborne Command Post. This "Nightwatch" aircraft is a more militarized version of the plane that serves as Air Force One for the President of the United States. According to Fox 8 News, "There are no windows on the E-4B aircraft, which is meant to keep flying during a nuclear war, allowing U.S. commanders to continue to send orders to nuclear forces. An E-4B when in action is called a “National Airborne Operations Center” and has been nicknamed the “Doomsday plane.”
What Was The Doomsday Plane Doing In North Carolina?
The short answer? I don't know. And I (and you aren't going to know). The plane landed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro in late August. I remind you of my pilot friend's words. We don't know what's going on, on our behalf. And we certainly aren't 100% aware of all the tools being utilized in this effort. Until today, did you know of, or ever hear of anything called a "Doomsday Plane?"
The almost $240 million plane also features a five-mile trailing antenna that can deploy via a reel to contact nuclear submarines around the world.
