A U.S. Air Force E‑4B “Doomsday Plane” (also called “Nightwatch” or the National Airborne Operations Center) landed at Joint Base Andrews near Washington, D.C., on Tuesday night, after flying from Barksdale AFB in Louisiana, i24News reported.
The E‑4B serves as a high-altitude, nuclear-hardened airborne command center for the U.S. President, Secretary of Defense, and Joint Chiefs.
Outfitted with EMP shielding, hardened communications, and room for dozens, it is designed to maintain continuity of government in worst-case scenarios—and stay aloft for days via in-flight refueling.
Historically, the only other publicly known occasion an E‑4B landed near Washington in response to a crisis was on September 11, 2001, following the terrorist attacks.
That day, an E‑4B (callsign VENUS77 or ADDIS77) was airborne and circled near D.C., preparing for contingencies during the Pentagon attack. It’s widely recognized as the only other occasion prompting such a deployment.
Looks like it’s in final to Andrews now and they have 4 UH-1N Iroquois up circling D.C. too. Two came back towards Andrew’s and 2 took off. pic.twitter.com/pZBglACwSN
— Christopher Lee (@TopherLee_TN) June 18, 2025
i24News reported:
A U.S. Air Force E-4B “Nightwatch” aircraft — commonly known as the “Doomsday Plane” — landed at Joint Base Andrews late Tuesday night following a highly irregular flight path from Barksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport, Louisiana.
The flight sparked speculation given the plane’s historical role during major national or global crises.
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While the exact reason for the deployment remains unconfirmed, its appearance over Virginia and subsequent landing outside Washington, D.C., comes amid high-stakes developments in the Middle East. Israel is reportedly intensifying military operations against Iran, fueling fears of a broader regional conflict.
Though the aircraft does occasionally conduct training flights or readiness drills, the flight’s erratic path and timing — coinciding with the latest escalation between Israel and Iran — have raised eyebrows among military observers and aviation trackers.
Officials have not released a statement regarding the E-4B’s mission, and it remains unclear whether President Donald Trump is aboard. Still, given the aircraft’s unique purpose and capabilities, its activation may reflect heightened alertness within U.S. defense infrastructure.
