New Delhi: Shortly before the news broke Friday that US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump had tested positive for Covid-19, two ‘doomsday planes‘ of the American Navy — called E-6B Mercury — were launched on both coasts of the country.
The E-6B Mercury is one of Pentagon’s airborne nuclear command posts and communications relay aircraft. Equipped with airborne launch control systems (ALCS), they are activated when it is considered necessary to communicate with the US Navy’s nuclear missile submarines, stealth bombers and missile silos. ALCS is capable of launching land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles.
The aircraft are nicknamed ‘doomsday planes’ since they can reportedly withstand a nuclear bomb, asteroid blasts and terror attacks while staying airborne for days without refuelling.
The Trumps tested positive hours after the White House announced that the President’s advisor, Hope Hicks, was infected with the novel coronavirus.
Earlier in the day, a Hawaii-based open-source intelligence practitioner, Tim Hogan, predicted that the military planes would turn up if Trump tested positive.
“There’s an E-6B Mercury off the east coast near DC. I looked because I would expect them to pop up if he tests positive,” Hogan tweeted.
RT There's an E-6B Mercury off the east coast near DC. I looked because I would expect them to pop up if he tests positive. It's a message to the small group of adversaries with SLBMs and ICBMs. pic.twitter.com/3ta9PmPxZD
— Tim Hogan (@TimInHonolulu) October 2, 2020
Advanced capabilities
Manufactured by Boeing for the US Navy, the E-6B Mercury is a four-engine plane that is particularly resistant to electronic warfare and the electromagnetic-pulse generated by nuclear bursts. They carry special communication systems and crew for commanding the Navy’s Ohio-class nuclear ballistic-missile submarines.
The two E-6Bs were seen on the flight tracking systems 30 minutes before Trump made his announcement, which could be construed as a sign of defence and preparedness for any eventuality. The US President is the commander-in-chief of the country’s armed forces, including its nuclear forces.
The nuke planes are now flying on both coasts. Tim called the positive test announcement once he saw these up. What a warning to send.
This year though. https://t.co/xRpyvJbr5A
— Twelve Foot Skeleton ? (@shannonmstirone) October 2, 2020
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