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Home » News » E-4B “Doomsday Plane” Makes Secretive Flight to Base Near Area 51
News

E-4B “Doomsday Plane” Makes Secretive Flight to Base Near Area 51

Matthew Klint Posted onJuly 26, 2021November 14, 2023 6 Comments

a large airplane on a runway

In a rare move, the E-4B “Doomsday” plane made a visit to the secretive Tonopah Test Range Airport in Nevada with the U.S. Secretary of Defense onboard.

E-4B “Doomsday Plane” Makes Unannounced Stop At Secretive Test Base

The E-4B is also known as the Nightwatch aircraft and the National Airborne Operations Center (NAOC). There are four in the fleet and these modified Boeing 747-200 aircraft were built to serve as a nuclear command center that could withstand a nuclear blast and allow the President of the United States to launch nuclear retaliation. These jets can also be used to direct military operations and are used to transport the Secretary of Defense.

The visit was not published, but discovered by a correspondent for The Drive, with the arrival of 74-0787, the registration for the jet, noted at Tonopah Test Range Airport (TTR). The aircraft was also using the callsign TITAN25, which is reserved for when the Secretary of Defense is onboard (like Air Force 1 is only the call sign when the U.S. President is onboard).

😎 https://t.co/xG6i2LFNyd

— Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) July 25, 2021

In addition the E-4B, an Air Force Gulfstream V (C-37A) typically used as VIP transport also “possibly” landed at TTR about 60 minutes before the E-4B. While the C-37A appeared to be enroute to TTR, that is a guess since the aircraft turned off its transponder before reaching its destination.

It could be that the C-37A was used to transport Austin To Area 51 or another place during his visit, leaving other passengers (and potentially a press pool) onboard the E-4B with window shades closed at TTR.

The E-4B took off after a few hours, with Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III tweeting out when the plane made a technical stop in Alaska. Austin is headed to Asia this week.

Wheels down in Alaska. pic.twitter.com/vjrpLW8LF3

— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) July 24, 2021

CONCLUSION

This is all so mysterious. The E-4B itself, the odd stop at Tonopah Test Range Airport, the Gulfstream V, and the nature of the visit. While the clandestine operations of the U.S. government may not be as sexy or fascinating as some of us imagine, it is nevertheless interesting to ponder what was the nature of that stop in Nevada.

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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6 Comments

  1. Ghostrider5408 Reply
    July 26, 2021 at 9:56 am

    I think this is all about nothing, the fact that there were reporters onboard makes this nothing. If there was something mysterious there does one really think a plane would land with reporters on board for heavens sake.

    False Flag

  2. Willem Reply
    July 26, 2021 at 11:07 am

    Looks like “Tonopah” is misspelled as “Tonopha” everywhere. It’s okay, it’s early Monday morning…

  3. Frank Reply
    July 26, 2021 at 12:11 pm

    @Ghostrider, you don’t know that. He could have been there to verify that our invaluable creepy clown technology has not fallen into foreign hands.

    The other 4 people who have ever had to go to Tonopah will absolutely love that joke.

    • Stuart Reply
      July 26, 2021 at 3:02 pm

      The Clown Motel! I actually sent a picture of it to Matthew a few months when driving through and offered to do a review. He passed.

  4. Pingback: America’s “Doomsday” Modified Boeing 747 Flies To Base Near Area 51 | AIRTRAVELLER PH
  5. Pingback: Vegas Nearly Launched a Titanic-Themed Resort?! - Eye of the Flyer

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