**’Doomsday Plane’ E-4B Nightwatch**
72-hour continuous flight without landing
Protection against nuclear warheads and electromagnetic pulse attacks
US National Airborne Operations Center forward-deployed along the Pacific coast
The US military’s airborne command and control aircraft, the E-4B Nightwatch, which can carry the President and Secretary of Defense in the event of a nuclear war, has appeared at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for the first time in 51 years. This aircraft is considered one of the most secretive and powerful operated by the US military. It is capable of surviving a nuclear explosion and is thus nicknamed the “Doomsday Plane.”
This aircraft, which rarely appears at civilian airports, has made a sudden appearance amidst incidents such as the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and attempts by the Trump administration to annex Greenland.
According to the LA Times and aviation specialist sources on the 10th (local time), the E-4B model landed at LAX, the central airport of Los Angeles, for the first time since 1975, on January 9. Typically, the E-4B is based at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, over 2,100 kilometers from LA, roughly the distance from Seoul to Hong Kong. Military experts interpret the landing of a crucial strategic asset for nuclear war at a major metropolitan area on the Pacific coast, especially one that is a key gateway with heavy civilian air traffic, as sending a message.
LAX, California’s largest airport, is a strategic hub facing the Pacific, connecting Asia, Latin America, and the US mainland. The exposure of the E-4B here indicates that the US is assessing its readiness for operations encompassing the western Pacific front and mainland defense, along with Latin American considerations.
Officially named the National Airborne Operations Center (NAOC), the E-4B is a modified Boeing 747-200 designed for the President, Secretary of Defense, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to command a war from the air if ground command structures collapse due to a nuclear war or a large-scale disaster. The acquisition cost per aircraft was approximately $223 million (300 billion won) at the time.
Despite its high price, the plane uses analog instrument panels instead of advanced digital equipment to protect its internal circuits from electromagnetic pulses (EMP) generated by nuclear explosions. The lack of digital systems also makes it immune to hacking threats. Instead, the aircraft is outfitted with 65 antennas on its upper side to directly communicate with global US military units and nuclear submarines. When refueled mid-air, it can stay aloft for 72 hours without landing, serving as a “mobile Pentagon.”
The US currently operates only four E-4B units. One of these must always be on standby near the President in preparation for emergencies. While the US Air Force does not intentionally conceal the existence of this aircraft, detailed operational particulars are kept highly classified.
Consequently, military experts advise observing changes in operational patterns, rather than just the fact that the E-4B landed at a civilian airport. During peacetime, the E-4B generally flies for readiness testing or training. However, in situations like Maduro’s arrest or securing air rights over the Arctic, its flight patterns noticeably change.
If extended flights with air refueling are observed instead of brief round trips, it is seen as a sign of an increased crisis level. A pattern of waiting on a route beyond the enemy’s threat range but near an adversary’s base also signals an emergency. Military experts noted that the true crisis arises when more than one E-4B moves simultaneously or coordinates with support forces. The E-4B spotted at LAX this time was just one unit.
Military expert Anurag Sharma explained that when global tensions rise, and the E-4B moves from the Washington, D.C. area to major focal points, intelligence agencies worldwide intensely monitor this route. He added that this exposure at a major Pacific coastal airport during this time is more of a demonstration of readiness than an accidental incident.
Experts cautioned against interpreting the LAX landing as a “war initiation signal.” However, they considered it a strategic demonstration, openly showing how the US disperses and ensures the survival of its nuclear command structure.
President Donald Trump is pursuing foreign policies based on strong military power. The appearance of the E-4B in LA is seen as managing tensions not only with the Venezuelan situation but also across the broader Pacific region. Amid prolonged US-China strategic competition and simultaneous instability in Latin America, the Arctic, and the Indo-Pacific, the message is that “the US mainland command can be dispersed into the air at any time.”
The visible exposure of the E-4B can also have immediate impacts on diplomatic and financial markets. Diplomatically, it reassures allies with a strong sense of security, confirming defense commitments by demonstrating readiness for even the worst scenarios. On the other hand, it acts as psychological pressure on adversaries, suggesting a readiness to issue retaliation orders at any moment, even if they decide on a nuclear attack.
The aviation specialist publication Aviation A2Z described the E-4B as “a symbol of US defense capabilities and the final bastion,” noting that every movement of this aircraft in modern warfare is more than just a simple transportation activity.