Meet the E-4B: U.S. Military's $223 Million Doomsday Plane, Capable of Surviving a Nuclear Blast

The Boeing E-4 Advanced Airborne Command Post (AACP), the current "Nightwatch" aircraft, is a strategic command and control military aircraft operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). The E-4 series are specially modified from the Boeing 747-200B for the National Emergency Airborne Command Post (NEACP) program.

The E-4 serves as a survivable mobile command post for the National Command Authority, namely the President of the United States, the Secretary of Defense, and successors. The four E-4Bs are operated by the 1st Airborne Command and Control Squadron of the 595th Command and Control Group located at Offutt Air Force Base, near Omaha, Nebraska. An E-4B when in action is denoted a "National Airborne Operations Center".

[richardkujawski]

Just the fact they're showing this tells me they have something newer and better in the air already.

[mgreb]

My first adult job was working as an assembler installer at e-systems in Greenville TX. I worked on tables and equipment racks that went into the E-4B.

[dennisstorie]

$223 million sounds like a bargain compared with today's market

[dennyrob]

It is a old aircraft but she’s a beauty

[michaeledlin]

It may be old but still very capable. Wish I was.

[dwightstaples]

I remember when I lived in Omaha 88-89, 2 of my buddy's were based there and was part of the crew. They were 2 weeks on call at the base and when the scramble they had 8 minutes to be airborne. They always had 1 engine running at all times 24hrs a day so if they got the alert they could be airborne.

[michaelwhalen]

How interesting is this video and the timing of it must tell you something hope it’s good

[phildiegidio]

I got to tour this bird back in 2012. Was pretty cool.

[Jeremy-euem]

Coincidence that this was posted three weeks ago? I think not.

[dap]

I can't imagine #46 commanding anything!

[chrissmith]

The flying Pentagon. They should snag up 6 more 747-8 fuselages while they’re replacing Air Force one and upgrade all at the same time to save a bundle of money.

[jaylahisrael]

You cannot hide or run from The Most HIGH, he controls all things..

[raymondmartin]

When I was in the USAF, Strategic Air Command from 1969 to 1973, mostly
at 509th Bomb Wing, Pease, AFB, Portsmouth, NH, we had the FB-111's
come in to be stationed at that base.
The Wing Commander flew by with the
afterburner on, and in the hardened
hanger, I was able to have a look into
the cockpit. "Peace is our Profession, "
"To err is human, To forgive is Devine,
neither of which is an acceptable SAC
standard". As a Captain, I was the 509th
Combat Support Squadron Section Commander.

[mosheh]

So the luckiest crew who will be on duty when that doomsday happened and fly away from destroyed earth straight to heaven.

[ShakespeareCafe]

I'm more impressed with that stainless steel hose roller...shoot, a fella could have a pretty easy time of rolling up his garden hose, with that thing

[hellohellohello]

The flying command center is flying 24/7 and can fight America´s war anywhere in the world.... Can fly for 30 days straight with refueling of course...Amazing aircraft with so many safety features inside with the president ruling....amazing A/C and the most maintained in the whole world.

[johncorson]

The things I saw taxiing around, taking off, and landing at Edwards as a flight test engineer (engine supplier rep) with BOEING flight test programs on several programs was pretty cool. RTO tests were so interesting

[kenvandevoort]

Got to work across the street from these birds for 5 years. We were a comsec unit and had a briefing in their building. Remember the signs on the doors.

[ShakespeareCafe]

"We built it because we were afraid of a Doomsday Gap"
~Dr. Strangelove

[Tumbleweed-vhpt]

Trump has been in one since the SHTF at the capital. It's fixing to get really interesting in the upcoming week.