Aerial refueling of an E-4B Nightwatch, the “Doomsday Plane” (right) from a US Air Force KC-46 Pegasus (left)
The US Air Force is preparing to equip its new nuclear command planes with the ability to directly launch intercontinental ballistic missiles during flight.
The US has maintained at least one plane in the air in constant flight. This is the so-called Doomsday Planethe “doomsday plane”, a kind of “flying pentagon”, capable of control the launch of Minuteman III nuclear missiles from its underground silos.
Now, with the scheduled removal of these old Boeing 707the Air Force intends to regain that capability and is evaluating whether its next command plane, the E-4Cwill be able to assume this role.
These planes were designed to continue operating during a nuclear war, ensuring that the president and the military leadership can command and coordinate nuclear forces, even if the country or bases are destroyed in a large-scale nuclear war.
The Pentagon currently has two different models: E-4B Nightwatchthe Air Force, and the E-6B Mercuryfrom the Navy, recalls .
O airborne launch control systemknown by the acronym in English ALCSis what allows E-6B planes to directly launch Minuteman III missiles while in flight, something that it wasn’t possible do with previous “doomsday planes”.
This type of mission is called Looking Glass (mirror), and its advantage is to create an additional obstacle for any opponent who tries to neutralize US nuclear capability with a pre-emptive strike aimed at destroying ground-based command and control links.
The new doomsday plane
The US Navy will gradually decommission the Mercurys, while introducing the E-130J Phoenix IIwhich will only perform the TACAMO function (not Looking Glass).
As confirmed by the general Stephen Davishead of the Air Force Global Strike Command, in an interview with , the Air Force will meanwhile also replace the Nightwatch with the E-4Cwhich could allow the launch of nuclear missiles from the air,
“We are currently developing the specifications, the requirements for this”, says Davis. “No decision has been made on whether it will be a separate platform, or whether it could be incorporated into the SAOC program.”
SAOC stands for Survivable Airborne Operations Center. official name of the E-4C program.
The current E-4B Nightwatch, the four command planes which can transport the US president and key officials during a nuclear crisis, have never been equipped with ALCS.
Although one of them was tested with the system in the past, at a time when the Air Force considered using these planes for the Looking Glass mission, the US military command later decided that it was too much. expensive.
The E-4Cs are being configured from the outset as command centers more robust furniture for use by senior US officials, including the president. The Looking Glass mission has similar, yet different, requirements. These planes must be operational at all times.
O E-4c It’s not the only option. Last year, Congress pressured the Air Force to evaluate whether a project based on the C-130 Herculessimilar to what the Navy is now developing for other missions, could be an alternative.
