A Look Inside the Air Force's "Doomsday Plane"

"No, I don't thank you for the fish at all" (notindetroit) 01/13/2014 at 10:10 • Filed to: Planeopnik, doomsday plane, e-4b

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The E-4B is a modification of a Boeing 747-200, similar to the aircraft the USAF operates on behalf of the President of the United States as "Air Force One" (VC-25). It was originally designed to allow the President to command allied strategic forces in the advent of nuclear war; that capability has been duplicated by the VC-25s, so the E-4Bs now typically serve the Secretary of Defense or high-ranking Air Force officials in command of nuclear forces. Though many of the once cutting-edge technologies on the aircraft (in service since the late 70s) are now obsolete, the aircraft still represent a critical function in the command and control of the United States' nuclear arsenal. A similar function is carried by the U.S. Navy's E-6B Mercury aircraft, modified Boeing 707-320 aircraft that act as command and control nodes for the Navy's fleet of nuclear missile-launching submarines.

Due to sequestration/budgetary concerns, many have advocated retiring the 4-strong fleet, which cost $250 million dollars each when new, citing nuclear arms reduction and redundancy provided by the VC-25 fleet, but the E-4B is expected to serve into the near future.

Mosqvich > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 01/13/2014 at 11:32

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We always referred to the E-4 as NEACP (Knee-Cap) and then NAOC (nay-ock). The Mercury is called the TACAMO (Take Charge and Move Out). In one of my positions I communicated with TACAMOs and also the Looking GLASS aircraft. The NAOC still shadows the President, usually around an hour away.

Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 01/13/2014 at 12:15

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the E-4Bs now typically serve the Secretary of Defense or high-ranking Air Force officials

and their entourage. Madeline K. Albright would bring so many family, friends, extras that the crew would have to be reduced.

I was in charge of AF VIP/SAM fleet from 1998-2001

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 01/13/2014 at 16:03

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Cool video, thanks for posting it.

Svend > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 04/04/2014 at 11:02

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Thanks for posting this. I've shared it with a closed group on Facebook. The Royal Observer Corps group who although disbanded in 1991 have a vast wealth of cold war knowledge from within nuclear bunkers in and around the U.K. and service in the Royal Air Force, Army and the Royal Navy and became such a close knit family that has lasted the test of time.