US put 'Doomsday Plane' into the air this week after Putin nuclear threat

[Wicked Blue]

Common Dreams via RawStory

The so-called "doomsday plane"—an aircraft modified by the U.S. military to be operated as a mobile command post and protect the president and high-ranking officials in the event of a high-level disaster—went on a reportedly unusual four-hour flight Monday following a perceived nuclear threat by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

According to multiple news reports, citing military flight tracking websites, the modified Boeing 747, using the call sign GORDO15, made a round-trip flight from a U.S. Air Force base in Nebraska to Chicago.

While the aircraft engage in regular testing missions, Monday's flight was unusual, iNews reported, because the plane was accompanied by two Cobra Ball jets with the ability to track ballistic missile data.

The over $200 million "doomsday plane" is part of a fleet of E-4 series aircraft which have been militarized from a Boeing 747-200B to function as the National Airborne Operations Center. The E-4s have been in use since the 1970s, and at least one of the planes is kept on alert at all times.

https://www.rawstory.com/doomsday-plane/

[Me.]

1. THis Doesn't Sound Good

[Wicked Blue]

2. The military says it was a routine sortie, but the timing is interesting

[PCIntern]

5. That's military-speak for:

“Here we fucking go again!”

[SheltieLover]

7. Agreed!

[nycbos]

3. Paging Dr. Strangelove

[SunSeeker]

4. Seems like that was the appropriate thing to do, make sure we're ready.

Putin threatened nuclear war. We must be ready.

[TeamProg]

13. +1

[Wingus Dingus]

6. It's always in the air. They're always on alert, and they always fly.

[Throck]

8. Is there more than one?

How do they do preventative maintenance?

[Wingus Dingus]

9. There are several--I guess they rotate.

It's on Wikipedia.

[whopis01]

10. There are four. n/t

[ificandream]

11. I suspect this is done often and we just don't know about it.

[TexLaProgressive]

12. Last update on 2/27 we were at DEFCON 3

I wouldn’t be surprised if we weren’t currently at DEFCON 2, edging to 1.
3 Increased readiness.
2 Next step below nuclear war.
1 Nuclear war is imminent.

Contrary to Hollywood DEFCON 5 is normal readiness.
https://defconwarningsystem.com/2022/02/27/defcon-warning-system-update-2-27-22/

[TeamProg]

14. It's really too bad DeSantis isn't Pres...

(sorry, had to)