The U.S. Has Begun Testing A New "doomsday" Airplane

In case of nuclear war.

The U.S. has begun flight tests of the E-4C Survivable Airborne Operations Center, known as the "doomsday plane," writes New Voice.

This aircraft will be the successor to the outdated E-4B, which for more than half a century served as an airborne command post for controlling the country's nuclear forces.

Development is being handled by Sierra Nevada Corporation, which on August 7, 2025 made the first flight of the E-4C based on a modernized Boeing 747-8 - a lengthened and updated version of the iconic airliner. The new aircraft is undergoing deep modernization to retain control functions in the event of a nuclear conflict or large-scale attack on the U.S.

The U.S. Air Force has been using four E-4B Nightwatch aircraft, based on the Boeing 747-200, since the 1970s. Their average age is more than 51 years old and they are no longer up to date. That's why the Pentagon awarded Sierra Nevada a $13 billion contract in 2024 to create a new generation of command aircraft.

Testing will last until 2026 at bases in Ohio and Kansas. The new vehicle will get more powerful communications systems, electromagnetic pulse protection, advanced satellite communications and increased payload capacity. Sierra Nevada has already purchased four Boeing 747-8s for the program and five more aircraft from Korean Air to be converted for military use.

The number of new E-4Cs is expected to remain close to the current fleet of four, with full delivery by 2036. According to the Pentagon, the modernization is part of a major upgrade of the NC3 system, the "nervous system" of U.S. strategic forces, encompassing satellites, land bases, submarines, bombers and command aircraft.

The new "doomsday" aircraft should ensure the U.S. is able to maintain control of nuclear forces in any environment until at least the middle of the 21st century.

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