Air Force E-4B Command Jet Tracked Flying From Nebraska Toward Virginia

ZeroHedge, citing flight-tracking data reviewed by the Daily Mail, reports that an Air Force E-4B "Nightwatch" airborne command post left Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska on Thursday and flew east. No reason for the flight has been made public.

Key points

• Route: The jet crossed Illinois and Indiana into Ohio, where it was logged at about 2:41 p.m. Eastern at 31,000 feet and 573 knots, roughly 660 mph, before heading south over northern Virginia, to the west of Washington.
• Unknowns: The tracking images showed no destination, and according to the Mail, neither the purpose of the trip nor who was on board has been confirmed.
• The aircraft: The E-4B is a modified Boeing 747-200 built so the president and top military leaders can direct U.S. forces, including nuclear forces, if ground command centers are destroyed. The Air Force flies four, all based at Offutt.
• Replacement: Citing The Aviationist, ZeroHedge says the Air Force awarded Sierra Nevada Corp. a deal valued at about $13.08 billion in April 2024 to build the Survivable Airborne Operations Center, with the work scheduled through July 10, 2036.

Quick take

ZeroHedge points out that these jets also fly routine training and readiness missions, so leaving their home base does not on its own signal an emergency. The outlet also cites the Mail's report that one E-4B is kept ready at all times while the president is in the country.

Read the full story at ZeroHedge.