"Is Nuclear War Imminent?" 'Doomsday Plane' Lands in LA for First Time in 51 Years

[Financial News] The U.S. military’s airborne command-and-control aircraft, the E-4B Nightwatch, has landed at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for the first time in 51 years. The strategic asset, which would carry the President of the United States and the United States Secretary of Defense to direct a nuclear war and is often dubbed a "flying White House," appeared at a civilian airport, prompting a flurry of speculation about the reasons behind its visit.

The Los Angeles Times, New York Post and aviation-specialty outlets reported that the E-4B landed at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on the 9th (local time), remained there for about a day, and then took off. Since it entered service in 1974, this is the first time the E-4B has landed at LAX.
Officially designated the National Airborne Operations Center (NAOC), the E-4B, often referred to as the "Doomsday plane," is a Boeing 747-200 modified for exclusive use by the United States Secretary of Defense. It is designed so that, in the event ground-based command-and-control systems are destroyed by a nuclear strike or large-scale disaster, the President of the United States, the United States Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff can direct operations from the air.
To ensure its systems are not disabled by nuclear blasts or enemy nuclear electromagnetic pulse attacks, the interior is equipped primarily with analog devices, and it has communications systems capable of connecting with U.S. forces worldwide, including via satellites and submarines. With aerial refueling, it can remain airborne for more than 72 hours. The U.S. military operates only four E-4B aircraft.
The E-4B is normally based and operated out of Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, more than 2,100 kilometers from California.
Against the backdrop of heightened tensions involving the United States and Venezuela, intensifying protests in the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Russia’s use of its new Oreshnik hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile in attacks on Ukraine, the appearance of the E-4B Nightwatch has fueled nuclear-war anxiety online.

However, the United States Department of Defense (DoD) stated that this landing was not an emergency measure in preparation for war, but rather a pre-planned movement related to United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s visit to Southern California. Hegseth is currently touring U.S. defense industrial bases and carrying out his "Arsenal of Freedom Tour" to boost military recruitment.
Military experts also are not interpreting the move as a signal of imminent military action. Far-right influencer Laura Loomer was also reported to have been on board the aircraft.
In fact, since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990 reduced the risk of nuclear war, the E-4B Nightwatch has often been used as a protocol aircraft for the United States Secretary of Defense or the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and has been spotted with some regularity at civilian airports. It has landed multiple times at Osan Air Base in South Korea carrying U.S. defense secretaries.
Aviation-specialty outlet Aviation A2Z commented, "The movement of an E-4B does not always mean war, but it is a reminder that the United States is preparing even for the worst-case scenario," adding, "In itself, it carries a powerful message of deterrence."
y27k@fnnews.com Seo Yoon-kyung Reporter