The United States Air Force (USAF) has announced the purchase and conversion of 5 ex-Korean Air 747-8is into Boeing E-4s, more commonly known as “Doomsday Planes.”
E-4s act as mobile crisis command centers for the president, vice president, and other high ranking government officials during a nuclear or biological conflict. It has aerial refueling capabilities, and can remain airborne for days, theoretically. E-4s would become a Pentagon in the sky, and have access to control and launch America’s 2,000+ nuclear weapons, as well as other tools of war.
“The development of this critical national security weapon system ensures the Department’s Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications capability is operationally relevant and secure for decades to come. To satisfy operational requirements, the weapon system will be comprised of a Commercial Derivative Aircraft that will be hardened and modified to meet military requirements,” Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek told CNN.
The planes were reportedly purchased for $13 billion, and will cost likely billions more to modify and fortify.
I wonder why they’re converting another 5… definitely nothing to do with the age and lack of spare parts and, in turn, constantly growing operational costs and urgency to retire the -200-based ones…
Wonder why we need five more planes, I think the ones we already have would be enough. Unless they need decoy planes like Air Force One or something, or if they’re actually making improvements.
These are to replace the current 4 E-4B’s. They are already 51/51/50/49 years old respectively with the first 3 converted from E-4A’s. Unlike the VC-25’s, the E-4’s fly frequently and are getting up there in time along with diminishing spares.
The current model- legacy Air Force One (VC-25A) is/are being replaced by 2 747-8i aircraft, now being modified in TX and will take on VC-25B nomenclature. The 5 newly purchased Korean Air 747-8s are likely all being repurposed for the E-4 mission out of Offutt AFB, NE. BTW, not a simple process because the planes are enormous and first removing what was there to repurpose into a militarized and highly secure platform takes a LOT of re-engineering. The plane itself is light years ahead of the VC-25A and we’re not built for this purpose in the first place.
Here’s a pair of the old ladies in action above Offutt AFB. Mom with Grannie doing the refuel! They both have served the military well and will be missed immensely.
Now we’re cookin’!😁
I was in Omaha last month driving past Offutt and I could swear I saw a 747-8 parked near a hanger. No colors, no tail numbers. Busy, busy though! 4 C-17’s hanging around too.
