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Nuclear proof doomsday plane: why has Boeing 747 E-4B spotted in the UK – and what is the Flying Pentagon?
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Nuclear proof doomsday plane: why has Boeing 747 E-4B spotted in the UK – and what is the Flying Pentagon?
As the conflict in Ukraine rages on, global concern about a nuclear war triggered by Russia is arguably at an all-time high.
Russian officials have continued to remind the world of their country’s powerful arsenal of weapons, and while many Western leaders have dismissed the rhetoric as bluster and an attempt to divert attention away from war crimes committed on Ukrainian soil, it remains a frightening prospect for many people.
A so-called “nuke proof” aircraft has been seen circling the skies above the UK in recent days, adding fuel to the irradiated fire.
The Nightwatch plane, colloquially known as the “doomsday plane” by many, is accompanying Joe Biden on his trip to Europe.
But why is this the case, and does it have any significance?
What is the ‘doomsday’ plane?
It is a strategic command and control military aircraft operated by the United States Air Force that serves as a mobile command post in the event of an emergency or crisis.
The massive aircraft has three decks and can accommodate a crew of up to 112 people, including flight and mission personnel, making it the largest crew in US Air Force history.
It can also theoretically stay airborne for a week in an emergency thanks to in-flight refuelling, though the longest test flight so far completed clocked in at around 35 hours.
Is it ‘nuke proof’?
While it is commonly assumed that the plane is completely “shielded” against a nuclear blast, this is not strictly true.
If the aircraft was caught directly within a nuclear attack zone – or at least close enough to a nuclear detonation to be affected by the blast wave – it would most likely be damaged beyond repair.
The plane is, however, protected from the effects of a nuclear electromagnetic pulse (EMP), which is a burst of electromagnetic radiation produced by a nuclear explosion and can cause damaging current and voltage surges.
It is also believed that the aircraft is radiation-resistant and can withstand the high temperatures caused by a nuclear blast.
The Air Force pays nearly $160,000 (£121,495) per hour to operate the plane.
Why is the plane flying over the UK?
The plane’s sighting should not be cause for concern.
When the President of the United States travels outside of North America on Air Force One, an E-4B aircraft is routinely deployed to a secondary airport near the President’s destination.
When President Barack Obama visited Honolulu, Hawaii, for example, an E-4B was frequently stationed 200 miles away at Hilo International Airport on Hawaii Island.
This is simply in case of a nuclear or other emergency that renders Air Force One inoperable.
Because President Joe Biden recently travelled to Brussels for an emergency summit with Nato leaders, it’s possible that the “nuke proof” aircraft was stationed in the UK as a precaution.
A 200-mile radius around Brussels would put a number of south-eastern English airports, including London City and Gatwick, as well as US force-hosting airbases, including RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath in north-west Suffolk, within range.
The plane was believed to be on its way to Mildenhall.
The plane will most likely be seen flying again as it repositions itself closer to Biden’s destination as he heads to Poland for the second leg of his Europe trip.
Where has it been spotted?
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