Doomsday plane E‑4B lands near DC amid Trump's Iran strike considerations

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One of America's most powerful military aircraft made an unusual flight to Washington as tensions grow in the Middle East, according to NDTV reports. The E-4B Night watch, known as a "doomsday plane," flew from Louisiana to Joint Base Andrews on Tuesday night. This special aircraft is built to protect top government officials during a nuclear war and keep the government running during major emergencies. 

The plane can carry up to 112 people and fly over 7,000 miles without stopping. It has strong shields that protect it from nuclear blasts, electromagnetic attacks, and cyber attacks. The aircraft also has 67 satellite dishes that let it talk to anyone in the world. NDTV explained that this flight happened while President Trump considers attacking Iran's nuclear sites. The plane took about four hours to reach Maryland after leaving Bossier City, Louisiana. Iran's top leader rejected Trump's demands for surrender, saying his country will never give up to American threats.

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The flight caught attention because it used an unusual call sign, as noted by the New York Post. Instead of the normal ORDER6 code, the plane used ORDER01, which made people wonder why. The aircraft took a strange, winding path along the coast before reaching the capital area. Flight tracking websites showed the plane looping around the Virginia and North Carolina borders. 

The New York Post reports that America has four of these special planes that make regular flights to stay ready for emergencies. Each plane works as a flying command center for the president and top military leaders. The aircraft has amazing features that no other Air Force plane can match. It can stay in the air for an entire week without landing and can get fuel while flying. The longest one of these planes ever stayed up was 35.4 hours. Inside, there are 18 beds, meeting rooms, and work areas spread across three floors, making it like a flying Pentagon. 

Military watchers found the timing very interesting, i24News reported, because it happened during rising Middle East tensions. The plane has only been used during major crises, most famously on September 11, 2001. Officials have not explained why the plane was deployed or confirmed whether President Trump was onboard.

i24News noted that Israel is increasing military actions against Iran, which has many people worried about a bigger war in the region. Two Iranian government planes left the country on Wednesday, heading to Oman, which shows how serious the situation has become. 

The Air Force is working on replacing these old planes with newer ones through a $13 billion contract signed last year. While training flights happen regularly, this particular mission's strange route and timing have made aviation experts very curious about what might be happening behind the scenes.

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