US military “doomsday planes” have reportedly been spotted in the skies amid the ongoing Israel-US-Iran conflict, which has also pushed Gulf countries to the brink. According to a Daily Mail report, flight tracking data has captured several launches of the Navy’s E-6B Mercury Strategic Airborne Command Aircraft since the conflict began last Saturday, February 28.
It was designed to act as an airborne command center during a nuclear war or national disaster – on March 2, two E-6B Mercury flights were spotted over the US.
Where were the planes seen?
One flight flew from the Gulf Coast and landed at Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland, while the other took off from Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska and later returned to it, the Daily Mail reported.
Since those flights, several military news outlets have reported additional deployments of E-6B Mercury aircraft, with some heading across the Atlantic toward the Persian Gulf, the media report noted.
Conflict between Israel, USA and Iran
The ongoing conflict between Israel, the US and Iran entered its second week on Saturday, March 7. A new loud explosion was heard in Dubai on Saturday evening as Iran continued its missile and drone attacks on sites in the Persian Gulf region, according to AFP. The United Arab Emirates previously reported on “the threat of incoming missiles and drones from Iran.”
On Monday, the United Arab Emirates claimed it was being targeted in a “very unjustified way” and stressed that it “will not participate in any attacks against Iran.”
“Our bases are not being used to attack Iran,” said Jamal Al Musharakh, the United Arab Emirates’ ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, according to AFP.
What is the “Doomsday Plane”?
The E-6B Mercury serves as a flying radio station and command center for the President and Secretary of War to stay in touch with military forces during a crisis. An aircraft equipped with specialized antennas can transmit signals to nuclear submarines operating deep underwater.
In addition to communicating with satellites, ground military headquarters and underground missile facilities, the “Doomsday Plane” can also help direct a nuclear strike should the United States be attacked.
The aircraft’s primary mission is known as ‘Take Charge and Move Out’ (TACAMO) – a system designed to ensure that orders from the president or senior military leaders can still reach the Navy’s nuclear submarines even if normal communications networks are destroyed.
During major crises, these aircraft are deployed to strategic locations where they can remain in the air or near key areas. This ensures that communication lines remain operational even if the ground infrastructure is damaged or disrupted.
