Government

Take a Tour of The Military‘s ’Doomsday Plane’ That Can Survive a Nuclear Blast

It’s called “Night Watch.”

That‘s the nickname given to the military’s E-4B 747 airplane. But none of those names stack up to its more ominous descriptor: “doomsday plane.”

After learning just a few facts about the aircraft, you realize quickly the name is appropriate. For example, it has an electromagnetic pulse  shield as well as thermo-radiation shields that protect the plane in the event of a nuclear strike. It has its own security team, can fly for days without stopping to refuel, and it can even communicate with submarines underwater. And it can be scrambled almost immediately, like it was after 9/11.

“If the command centers that are on the ground in the United States have a failure of some sort, or attack, we immediately get airborne. We’re on alert 24/7, 365,” Captain W. Scott “Easy” Ryder, Commander, NAOC, told ABC News. “Constantly there’s at least one alert airplane waiting to get airborne.”

ABC’s Diane Sawyer recently toured the jet as it ferried its usual client, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates:

Take a Tour of The Militarys Doomsday Plane That Can Survive a Nuclear Blast

The Daily Mail has the plane’s specs:

Take a Tour of The Militarys Doomsday Plane That Can Survive a Nuclear Blast

Ready the full report from ABC News.

Comments (149)

  • bluematrix90
    Posted on June 8, 2011 at 9:21am

    The most powerful survivors are the people who put there trust in god! … So the most important people in the united states aren‘t it’s citizens it‘s the politicians you’re kidding right. I’m just thinking why does the president all of a sudden have a plane that can withstand a nuclear blast. Is it me or does that sound really fishy. I thought everyone was coming together all over the world, so the world could be one big peaceful loving place. But how would the government know love, and peace. When all they know is power.

    Report Post » bluematrix90  
  • OpenEyeAz
    Posted on June 8, 2011 at 9:18am

    I was suprised to see Gates flew into Kabul on a E4 on his last trip. Not sure how often the SECDEF uses this aircraft >? Usual transport would be the C-32 A or C-40 aircraft unless of course he is flying with the big man on AF1.

    Report Post » OpenEyeAz  
  • Hickory
    Posted on June 8, 2011 at 9:18am

    This attitude is based on us waiting for someone to strike us first. I have a problem with that. Why not have the situation the other way around? Mess with the US, you become ashes. That sounds more apt to stop anyone from even thinking about it.

    Report Post » Hickory  
  • TheVOR
    Posted on June 8, 2011 at 9:15am

    Well according to the ABC article we have 4 of the doomsday planes.

    Don’t we also need a fleet of doomsday refueling planes that can also survive an electromagnetic pulse as well as thermo-radiation? Also, their own security, etc….Boy doesn’t planning for something like this get complicated?

    @DANOLA Boy do you bring up an interesting point. How about a Bible? Or, has the ACLU already won that court case and had it removed? Hopefully there is a Gideon on board, and he stuck one in the nightstand.

    Diane Sawyer actually said to think of it as an airborne Ark. Hmmmm….didn’t see any women on board (save for her). Wonder if they did any planning for that antiquated, two by two stuff? Oh well, only the “most powerful survivors” will be left to figure that out.

    Report Post »  
  • Tituspullo
    Posted on June 8, 2011 at 9:10am

    Cool… cant wait to exit Vault 101 and enter the Capital Wasteland w/my trusty Pip-Boy 3000 and combat shotgun. To start laying waste to RadRoaches, Raiders, Supermutants and other bad things, while sippin on a Nuka-Cola!!!! LOL

    Report Post » Tituspullo  
  • Bigliardi
    Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:57am

    @thealmightycreestof….An interesting question….I think our early warning system on sattelites which are in geosynchronous orbit, but I could be wrong…And if they are, I am sure they are hardened so that EMP couldn’t disable them, and I would suppose our nuclear missiles are hardened as well….So, it would seem unlikely that we would be “blind” to a first strike, but…If we were, I would think that when the first nuke landed that retaliation against the most likely target would be instantaneous.. And if it were me doing the retaliating, I can tell you that I wouldn’t worry about “the last remaining civilization on earth.., ” I would push the button…

    Report Post »  
    • TheVOR
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 9:30am

      What if it is a “box-cutter” 9/11 like attack, with a bunch of dirty nukes in suitcases?

      Or, something equally low-tech, low budget, yet highly effective. Remember, last time they basically used us (our way of thinking, i.e. pre-9/11 hijacking mentality, and our own equipment), against ourselves. All they brought to the fight was some box cutters, and some crazy suicidal, virgin seeking, jihadists.

      Don’t know if our satellites and whiz-bang technology will be a match for something like that.

      Report Post »  
    • Bigliardi
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 9:41am

      Yeah, but suitcase type “dirty bombs” wouldn‘t disable us to the point that we couldn’t retaliate…Dirty bombs would do lots of local damage, and cause radiation to linger for years and years, but would be low yield, and would do little physical damage when compared with something dropped from a satellite, or delivered by a missile…

      Report Post »  
  • Bonnieblue2A
    Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:55am

    Doesn’t everyone have their Faraday cages ready for the EMPs to come? Oh no, that is only for the elites!

    Report Post »  
  • TheDebtWeAllPay
    Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:54am

    Makes ya wonder about the things they are not showing us

    Report Post » TheDebtWeAllPay  
  • Ironeagle
    Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:51am

    Its a cold war relic with older technology–designed to work/communicate in a nuclear charged environment. In theory the NCA (National Command Authority)–the executive branch of Gov”t–will use this to help command/control whats left of our nuclear forces in a pre-trans-post attack environment. Assuming we aren’t caught flat-footed in a bolt-out-of-the-blue nuke attack and can’t get the thing off the ground. Can you image Barry O making decisions if we are attacked like this? OMG–Leon Panetta had to pull the trigger on Osama because Barry wouldn’t give the difinitive go order for the D-boys to engage.

    Report Post » Ironeagle  
  • ramburner
    Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:48am

    The time IS coming and our government is preparing, when facilities like this will be required. Have YOU prepared YOUR life? Have you listened to the government warnings of doom and disaster that are coming? We are nearing a complete world financial collapse, world food shortage, disaster preparations are being made within governments who know what will come. Are YOU prepared? Riot protections are being made, mob mentalities will rule our nations for years. You won’t be able to buy or sell anything without complete government control.Prepare NOW. Read Romans 10:9-13

    Report Post »  
  • Bigliardi
    Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:48am

    Can fly for “days” without refueling…? I can’t imagine that being a true statement… I mean if they can make a 747 that fuel efficient, why not make all “heavies” meet those standards….My guess is that the blurb should have read: “Can fly for days with refueling…”

    Report Post »  
    • Dustoff
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 9:03am

      What it should say it can fly for days without landing for fuel. It can be re-fueled inflight.

      Report Post » Dustoff  
    • BehindBlueEyes
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 9:12am

      It also said it has a fuel capacity of 410,000 pounds of fuel. It didn‘t say how many pounds it burns in an hour but maybe that’s enough to keep it flying for days.

      Report Post » BehindBlueEyes  
    • Bigliardi
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 9:36am

      The 747 uses 33,000 pounds of fuel from takeoff to cruising altitude……So I reckon you are right dustoff, the article simply omitted the in flight refueling….Then one would guess that the refueling tankers are “hardened” also…Wonder what one of those puppies cost…And surely the “nightwatch” costs far in excess of a billion dollars a copy….

      Report Post »  
    • USAMEDIC3008
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 10:09am

      The Boeing E-4A I knew had four GE F103-100 turbofans rated about 53000lbs
      thrust ea. Speed 600 mph — 45000ft ceiling—un refueling range
      about 7000 mi.or about 12 hr. With this airframe speed and alt. cant change much
      With viagra ( newer engines ) it will stay up longer Higher fuel cap. add to range
      But were not talking big numbers either
      Survive ??? Depends on range, and how big the blast.
      Ye’all have a nice day now

      Report Post » USAMEDIC3008  
  • rockstone
    Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:45am

    It can survive a nuclear blast? When and where did they test that?

    Report Post » rockstone  
    • Blackhawk1
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 9:14am

      Area 51

      Report Post » Blackhawk1  
    • Mister X
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 12:27pm

      It cannot survive a nuclear warhead hit. It would melt like a piece of ice in hell. They mean that it has hardened electronics chassis that shield their circuitry from the effects of Electro Magnetic Pulse that is generated by a nuke going off. It cannot survive a hit from a nuke. Get real.

      Report Post »  
  • BehindBlueEyes
    Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:41am

    The doomsday clock is now at 6 minutes til midnight. I don‘t know who’s setting the clock these days but I think it needs to be updated. I think we are within the last minute before midnight.

    Report Post » BehindBlueEyes  
  • Danola
    Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:33am

    Bet there is no copy of the U.S. Constitution on board!

    Report Post »  
  • ares338
    Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:26am

    You know what the scary thing is: that we even need the thing!

    Report Post » ares338  
  • Seabee79
    Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:15am

    I say launch the nukes. let’s get it over with already.

    Report Post » Seabee79  
  • QuantumVerp
    Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:08am

    FLASHFORWARD: As the only remaining humans, bureaucrats, land the ‘doomsday plane’ for the eigth time. Take a reading, and scramble to take off again because the reading was too high. Getting sicker as the days roll by. Assements roll in predicting a necessary underground stay of 1000 years minimum.

    Most memorable quote of the Last Day (kind of like a world-wide Last Supper) “Face it! We bureaucrats couldn’t do all the work that needs to be done here anyway! Hope there isn’t a God and die! It won’t matter. Like there isn‘t a God and you don’t matter… but my kids do… ****! we miscalculated, again…”

    Put a chair against the door of that event’s happening. A strong wooden chair.

    Report Post » QuantumVerp  
  • kralspaces
    Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:06am

    I really don’t understand the reasoning for this costly beast. If they want to survive, go for the submarines.

    Report Post » kralspaces  
  • Eliasim
    Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:06am

    Believe me, the things I pretty sure God has planned, there’s no amount of protection.

    Report Post »  
    • NOTAMUSHROOM
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:58am

      Amen to that!

      Report Post »  
    • QuantumVerp
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 11:10am

      Double-down Amen! Amen!

      BACK TO POETRY READING: …will search for that Man who coined the over-gracious word for men, Mankind.

      Bow, no applause…

      Report Post » QuantumVerp  
  • notatoomah
    Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:04am

    Let‘s see it escape God’s Justice.

    Report Post »  
    • Eliasim
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:11am

      Right now the only reason Alpha males do not wipe-out the weak, is because those men have the convenience of this current lifestyle to not have to do that.

      Report Post »  
  • Eglman48
    Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:03am

    Ok Just like the Beast was unstoppable anything made can be broken- I guess they have to trust in their own abilities instead of God’s Grace-Good luck with that.

    Report Post »  
  • Mateytwo Barreett
    Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:03am

    Do it got gold rims & low profile tires? Boy- hope we got 6-7 of ‘em! 5-6 B each? 112 cast & crew. . . . Whattaya wanna betthat everyone of has a “beast” in its belly!

    Report Post » Mateytwo Barreett  
  • Eliasim
    Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:02am

    Yes, and it’s always ready on standby to carry the most useless people in the world. It’s funny, why do you think it is that whenever there is massive chaos on earth, that men end up starting all over again in history? Because the most useless people are the ones with the most protections.

    Report Post »  
    • Eliasim
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:08am

      I mean come on, all the lawyers, all the politicians, really, what use are they in a world of chaos? They will last, oh like five minutes.

      Report Post »  
    • NOTAMUSHROOM
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:51am

      You got that right!

      Report Post »  
    • RepubliCorp
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 9:16am

      When the food gets low (the useless people) will be first to go.
      Would you put up with Omama? No, he would get the 40,000 foot high dive

      Report Post » RepubliCorp  
    • LiberaleEssenScheibe
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 12:25pm

      I hear that politicians and lawyers taste like chicken!

      Report Post »  
  • Mister X
    Posted on June 8, 2011 at 7:46am

    Yeah, it is a nice plane, sure. But, man does the govt really think that THEY constitute the country and not the people? If they were gone, we would be just fine. No matter what, they want to retain power. Sickening acutally.

    Report Post »  
    • mom4times
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 7:58am

      just like in the movies……get the government to safety……as for us…we’re on our own….now our enemies know what to hit

      Report Post » mom4times  
    • Patrick Henry II
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 7:59am

      They at best have only days of flight. Of course anything to retain power, like you said. But, WE have engineers, technicians, military, militia, hundreds of millions of guns, and THE PEOPLE.

      Report Post » Patrick Henry II  
    • nzkiwi
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:02am

      I don’t think that its quite assimple as that. The organisation must be maintained in order to provide a cohesive response. Otherwise you would have units of government and the armed forces being forced to act indepedently and, very possibly, against each other.

      Confusion is dangerous, and especially so in war.

      Report Post »  
    • Eliasim
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:14am

      Yes, the government to safety, but quickly are coming the latter years, and that Gog will be dealt with.

      Report Post »  
    • NOTAMUSHROOM
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:48am

      @MisterX. “But, man does the govt really think that THEY constitute the country and not the people?”

      Why, yes. Yes indeed they do. Or you could look at it like: No, no they don’t. They are obviously superior and would welcome the opportunity to be the only survivors by “thinning the herd” of all the Christian, white, Constitutionalists who populate this country.

      Report Post »  
    • USAMEDIC3008
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 9:20am

      Be happy to know their death will be slow but sure…
      Then comes the JUDGE

      Report Post » USAMEDIC3008  
    • shazam3
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 10:16am

      The big problem with this is some guy on the ground or in the air with a simple missle will bring it down. This sound like a pipe dream to me. It’s just like the so-called POS bomb proof car that can’t roll over a curb. What did they cost? What happened to the President in normal vehicles. After Kennedy every nut case/terrorist realized you could get away with it. Like Sirhan Sirhan knew what he was doing,

      Report Post »  
    • USAMEDIC3008
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 10:21am

      BLAZE
      the info I gave came from a book off the shelf
      published 1976 Lib of Congress # 75-45835
      Encyclopedia of Combat Aircraft
      afraid of giving away secrets or maybe it would make
      your STORY suk?????????????????

      Report Post » USAMEDIC3008  
    • USAMEDIC3008
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 10:23am

      Maybe Because I left ouy the wiener Joke

      Report Post » USAMEDIC3008  
    • I support God's Israel!
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 12:05pm

      Did anyone happen to see the movie, “2012”? Guess what, this is going on now on both sides. If you have MONEY and WORTH, such as gold and silver, then you will be saved. The other people don’t matter. WHY? Because WE, THE PEOPLE have allowed this government to be BIGGER THAN WE, THE PEOPLE. We, the people need to reverse this sickness.

      Report Post » I support God's Israel!  
  • nacilbuper
    Posted on June 8, 2011 at 7:45am

    Let us pray we never have to use this.

    Report Post » nacilbuper  
    • BIGJAYINPA
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:07am

      This is just the latest variant of “Looking Glass” It ensures that no matter how devastating a first strike anyone can launch the Command and Control will function and the “Boomers” will still deliver their payload. We will all die together. Don’t you just love “Mutually Assured Destruction(MAD)”.
      ….Just saying.

      Report Post » BIGJAYINPA  
    • Mikhail Kennedy
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:08am

      Yes, let us pray that any humanity that is left behind will not be the present incompetents that are in the U.S. government right now.

      Report Post » Mikhail Kennedy  
    • The_Almighty_Creestof
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:09am

      1) “Constantly there’s at least ONE alert airplane waiting to get airborne.” Uh, how many of these monsters do we have?

      2) “Can fly for days thanks to refueling jets”…yeah, I bet they are nuclear proof also.

      3) Food? “You, HYDRO…you are in charge of the hydraulics, sit in the chair marked HYDRO…oh, and you are first up for food should we resort to cannabilism…just sayin’”

      Now for a scruples question…
      America’s early warning system fails, we are struck with 100 tactical nukes which effectively destroy the USA, Canada & Mexico. Europe is also struck and so is Israel. You are the president and are in the sir in the “Doomsday Plane” with your finger on the red button ready to retaliate.

      Question: Do you push it and destroy your enemy which is now the only remaining civilization on the planet…or do you decide not to, because you see there is a bigger picture to look at and the human race must go on.

      Report Post »  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:09am

      I hope indeed that it is never called upon to execute the final mission at the ending of the country in a fiery storm…yet why are they now mentioning more of the plane? Is it just a general request having been made to reporters and allowed by the Air Force? Or could this be the impending showdown with Iran, to indirectly let them know that if a strike is sent after the US we have the means to make the counter strike more than workable…it would be absolute?

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:17am

      @The Almighty Creest:

      The question for me would be “Ah, do I or do I not push it anyway…to nuke or not to nuke that is the question..”

      Just as long as no one decides to try and ride the bomb on its launch.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • nacilbuper
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:18am

      Sadly, I think Snow has the answer.

      Report Post » nacilbuper  
    • NOTAMUSHROOM
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:25am

      @Nacilbuper
      The only “WE” that will be using this is ……. guess who? Sure as heck won’t be any of us drones. Just imagine how happy that would make the Muslim in chief. Wouldn’t have to worry anymore about those Bible clinging, gun toting, Constitution loving white people.

      Report Post »  
    • wildbluyonder11
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:29am

      @Creestof, your scruples question is just what the enemy counts on in regards to our leaders. And, unfortunately, I have no confidence in our current leadership to have the fortitude to retaliate. In fact, our President has already said as much. Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) only works if all parties involved are equally willing to destroy their respective enemy. Again, in our current state, I think our country would be on the losing end of the deal and the remaining “civilization” would be modeled after the Soviet Union. That‘s a world I wouldn’t want to live in anyhow, so I guess it all works out in the end.

      Report Post »  
    • TexasCommonSense
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:32am

      So we will all be dead, and Obama and his clowns will survive? We will have moved on the bigger and better and they will be left behind to rule over a scorched Earth. Sounds OK to me.

      Report Post » TexasCommonSense  
    • NOTAMUSHROOM
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:39am

      @Creestof “……the human race must go on.”

      Interesting question. If the only humans left are the murderous Islamists, why would you miss your chance to destroy them once and for all? I’d have to put my trigger finger in the hand of the Lord and ask Him to guide it, since I can’t decide at this moment if by pulling said trigger, I’d be acting out in revenge, or acting as an instrument of the Lord’s will. That would be a moment for all eternity.

      I pity the person who finds him or herself in that position. I hope they would be a person of great faith in God. And I’m not talking about the screaming girlie allahu akbar savage types.

      Report Post »  
    • Dale
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:51am

      Mikhail Kennedy
      Yes, let us pray that any humanity that is left behind will not be the present incompetents that are in the U.S. government right now.
      —————————–
      Yes, retaliation would required several years while the culpable are identified, tried, and then exonerated.

      Report Post » Dale  
    • AzDebi
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:53am

      Designed, OF COURSE, by “non-exceptional” Americans and each time an upgrade to the plane is performed…a member of the Chinese government is granted an update tour!!!!!!!!!!!!

      Report Post » AzDebi  
    • banjarmon
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 8:56am

      What man builds, GOD can destroy!

      Report Post » banjarmon  
    • The_Almighty_Creestof
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 9:12am

      BTW, to clarify the scruples question, destroying your enemy (who just destroyed you) would = a scorched earth which would never know another tree, fish, bunny rabbit, ocean, blue sky and so on.

      So, is ensuring the death of your enemy (who you consider to be evil incarnate) worth destroying all current and future life on a planet which has held life for so long that your own species existance is merely a blink of an eye in its lifetime?

      Report Post »  
    • JRook
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 9:58am

      And who says we don’t provide bailouts for the airline industry. I’m sure Boeing made some good money off of this project. And we all know how well the DOD is at spending our money. Geez, imagine if we spent even 25% of the defense budget on furthering peace.

      Report Post »  
    • NOTAMUSHROOM
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 10:06am

      @Creestoff
      Thank you for the clarification. BUT, I don’t know that “scorched earth” necessarily means zero life ever again. Take, for instance, the previously scorched earth around Mt St Helens. It has blossomed in a remarkable way. Just sayin’…”

      Report Post »  
    • The BRAIN
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 10:07am

      Technically, the E-6B is the latest variant of LookingGlass (As in mirror image of the STRATCOM nuclear control bunker [SAC for the old-timers] underground bunker in Omaha Nebraska.)

      E-6B carries Offutt General staff that carries out the orders of the President or National Command Authority.

      The E-4B is an enhanced version of the LookingGlass mission for the Washington DC National Command Authority – Joint Chiefs of staff etc.

      E-4B
      http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/e4b/index.htm
      http://www.af.mil/information/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=99
      4 each = 1 on alert, 1 normally in depot maint, 1-2 in training/local maintenance, or supporting FEMA.

      E-6B
      http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=1100&tid=800&ct=1

      LookingGlass dates back to 1961. There are a few places on the web that talk about the history of the program. They used to fly an aircraft 24 / 7 / 365.
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Looking_Glass

      NEACP is the E-4 program aka “Kneecap” or Nightwatch.

      Boeing just announced a program up update the cockpit of the airplanes to more modern airline standards.
      http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1770

      Report Post » The BRAIN  
    • C. Schwehr
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 10:18am

      To “CREESTOF”: First of all, we’ve had these planes around for decades, literally. When Reagan visited Japan, the E-4B landed and parked at Yokota AB since the POTUS never goes overseas without a mobile command post plane nearby. There are supposedly 8 of these aircraft in service, some parked at strategic bases around the U.S. and the rest maintained for use by the President.
      As for your “scenario”, 10 baby nukes would not destroy civilization…but I don’t think the current president has the cojones to use our own nukes should the need arise anyway…moot point.

      Report Post »  
    • SgtB
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 10:37am

      @ Creestof, you overestimate the power of the nuclear warhead and man as well. Even if we set loose every nuclear bomb on the earth at once, life would survive on this world. Mind you, human life would probably be lost as well as would the majority of the game larger than a mouse, but the earth would still team with life. After only a few hundred years new ecosystems would already be in place that would continue to do what they do best, survive.

      The earth has been forged and reforged many times. It survived the impact of another heavenly body that created the moon and it has survived countless asteroid strikes; the most ominous of which we generally believed wiped out the dinosaurs and most of the other life that existed at the time. Of course, this event was followed by an explosion of new life. This world has seen its fair share of destruction and the only constant has been that life has survived and thrived in its wake.

      So I guess that that view would make my choice very simple. If my home were nuked by a hostile enemy and I had the ability to retaliate in kind I would. As it is only this willingness to retaliate that deters the afformentioned from taking place, it is your doubt that makes this horrific scenario more likely. Just like the only thing keeping people from robbing you at gunpoint is the threat that you will retaliate. Think about it, if you could steal all day long and no one ever called you on it, why wouldn’t you?

      Report Post » SgtB  
    • jackrorabbit
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 10:55am

      One, why would we give out the stats on this plane?
      Two, who didn’t know that we had a plane to protect POTUS?

      Report Post »  
    • cessna152
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 11:29am

      Great… lets test it first. Biden, Pelosi and Reid should be the first to give it “a go”.

      Report Post » cessna152  
    • motes_art
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 11:46am

      @The_Almighty_Creestof

      You nuke’em! The “uncivilized” people of South America and Africa can repopulate the Earth. (That was a very bigoted thing to write).

      Report Post »  
    • TomFerrari
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 11:52am

      When GE developed the cuved propeller for supersonic speeds, I believed it was for eventual use in nuclear powered aircraft. Nuclear power would be able to stay airborne indefinitely, limited by provisions of food, water, etc.
      Nuclear powered aircraft would scare the public, so it wouldn’t be publicized. It would also be a big mil secret.
      Why blades? Nuclear power generates electricity. I don’t think you can run a jet engine without fuel. However, electricity easily turns electric motors that drive propellers.
      This type a/c is where I envision such technology.

      Report Post » TomFerrari  
    • mcFirst
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 12:21pm

      well we did use it on 911. many videos of it flying over DC. Pentagon just did not comment on it. Doen’t it mean it was not used.

      Report Post » mcFirst  
    • SavingtheRepublic.com
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 12:46pm

      It was already used on 9/11! It was one of the planes seen over DC after Pentagon Attack. This is the alleged aircraft that truthers claim fired a missile at the Pentagon!

      Report Post » SavingtheRepublic.com  
    • Patrick in AZ
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 1:48pm

      “Constantly there’s at least one alert airplane waiting to get airborne.”
      ——————————-
      Used to be that at least one of these aircraft were airborne at all times

      Report Post » Patrick in AZ  
    • Jediusetheforce
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 2:05pm

      Some will survive but…After the plane lands they could become hunters and gatherers. Its only a reset, don’t worry. Who cares, at least I won’t be on this planet.

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    • rickvb
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 2:09pm

      Why is this a story??? As has been mentioned, the Looking Glass and Nightwatch programs have been around in one form or another for 50 years! The aircraft mentioned is 15 years old! Haven’t any of you people watched The Sum of All Fears or any of the other armageddon-type movies before? This is a fill piece by lamestream ABC news on a slow day, that’s all! Sheesh!

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    • Patrick in AZ
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 2:16pm

      @Snow – yes, this could possibly be a message to Iran. It is not unusual for news stories about certain capabilities being used to “warn” potential adversaries. I hope this is not the case though, that might suggest that they think it more likely and in the near future.

      @Creestof – it is unlikely that all of mankind would be killed, but certainly life on this planet would go on.

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    • TSUNAMI-22
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 2:31pm

      Doomsday plane or not….it still has to land at some point. Components don’t last forever.

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    • ManThong
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 2:56pm

      Why waste the money.

      With very day that goes by the whole idea of “continuity of government” here looks less and less attractive.

      Report Post » ManThong  
    • boomboom
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 4:11pm

      Boom

      Poof

      Report Post » boomboom  
    • Patrick in AZ
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 6:12pm

      @ Snow – These two stories further suggest that this could be a message to Iran

      http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1394901/Iran-produce-nuclear-weapon-months-claimed-U-N-atomic-watchdog-reveals-concerns.html

      http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/julian-borger-global-security-blog/2011/jun/08/iran-blogging

      Report Post » Patrick in AZ  
    • 1Sword
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 10:20pm

      Are they Expecting a Nuke!

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    • imreddog
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 11:00pm

      The message is not being sent to Iran, it is to China. China is trying to make us believe that they have no intentions to strike the U.S. and they are trying to make us believe that they don’t have the capability to make war with the U.S. The Chinese have been upgrading their military for years. The traitor, Bill Clinton, gave them a big assist when he gave them a lot of our military secrets. China’s capabilities are huge. I believe that we would have to use nukes to defeat them. It was revealled a while back that they have developed a very fast missle that hugs the water and it was developed specifically to sink our aircraft carriers. It is unclear as to whether we have developed a defense for that missle. The Chinese are a lot like the Japs that bombed Pearl Harbor… you can’t trust them! When they say peace and safety, then comes sudden destruction.

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    • The BRAIN
      Posted on June 10, 2011 at 12:02am

      Here is another excellent link to an old Popular Mechanics article:
      http://books.google.com/books?id=bOQDAAAAMBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

      Report Post » The BRAIN  
    • John
      Posted on June 10, 2011 at 11:00pm

      @JRook
      Posted on June 8, 2011 at 9:58am
      And who says we don’t provide bailouts for the airline industry. I’m sure Boeing made some good money off of this project. And we all know how well the DOD is at spending our money. Geez, imagine if we spent even 25% of the defense budget on furthering peace.

      There have been plenty of attempts to go with peace in the past…most of those end up with the peaceful entity being swallowed up by the aggressor. Any more, the first strike from a determined foe can be so devestating that we no longer have the luxury of waiting to see what the foe/aggressor will do. For all of the accusations about the aggression of the American “empire builders,” by thankful the old USSR guard or the Communist Chinese never had the power to lop off our collective heads…they have done so to many others…Lithuania, Georgia, Eastern Europe, Tibet, Mongolia, and so on…Our country is perfect…but it is the best this world has seen, even if the idiots generally run it. At least we can get rid of one set of idiots before they ruin it. I just hope the electorate wakes up to the fact that the promises these control freaks give are unsustainable.

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