A US Air Force nuclear-proof “doomsday plane” (a modified Boeing 747 named the Boeing E-4B) took off for a brief training mission over Nebraska on Monday, February 28. The departure came shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that his country was placing its nuclear forces on high alert.
Boeing E-4B NOAC specifications
The Boeing E-4B NOAC is a US Air Force aircraft model responsible for carrying the President of the United States in emergencies, including nuclear war. There are 4 in total. Naturally, these planes offer a few safety features you won’t see in a commercial 747.
For example, each of them is equipped with old analog equipment instead of modern digital equipment. These aircraft can thus continue to operate even after being subjected to the electromagnetic pulse of a nuclear explosion.
Special armor also protects passengers from the thermal effects of nuclear war. Based on the Boeing 747-200 model, these aircraft, which have been maintained since the 1970s, also have a very low-frequency communication system that can make contact with submarines.
However, many other features of the aircraft are kept secret. Each plane can be refueled in-flight, and all have enough supplies to feed their 112 crew for a week.
