Trump’s ‘Doomsday Plane,’ Able To Survive A Nuclear Attack, Takes Mysterious Flight Amid Tensions With Iran

by Riley GoldmanJune 24, 2025, 10:40 pmNews >

President Donald Trump‘s ‘Doomsday plane’ was seen taking an uncommon flight from Louisiana to Maryland earlier this week.

The Boeing E-4B “Nightwatch” is an emergency command aircraft, serving as a flying command post during times of crisis for key officials. It is primarily designed to coordinate military actions while being able to survive a nuclear attack.

The aircraft left Bossier City at roughly 6 p.m. EST, traveled along the coast, circled the border of Virginia and North Carolina, and finally landed at Joint Base Andrews at 10:01 p.m.

The mission took just over four hours, sparking online chatter, specifically after users discovered a previously unused callsign, ORDER01, instead of the normal ORDER6.

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With a fleet of four, routine flights throughout the year are common to be prepared in case of need. But it is believed this trip is linked to the escalations within the Middle East, primarily the expectation that Iran is working on nuclear warheads.

On Saturday night, Trump launched a surprise attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, stated in a public address that he would not accept a call to surrender from President Trump.

FlightAware showed the plane first traveled from Window Rock, Arizona, on Tuesday to Barksdale Air Force Base before making its trip to Maryland later that evening.

The fleet can be deployed to other bases for support in various missions or for operational readiness. In the past, these crafts have helped transport FEMA crews during Hurricane Opal in 1995 and were used to keep President George W. Bush safe following the 9/11 attacks.

While the purpose of this mission is only being speculated, it did come just hours before Khamenei stated Iran would “stand firm against an imposed war, just as it will stand firm against an imposed peace.”

“This nation will not surrender to anyone in the face of imposition,’ he said during his first televised comments since Israel launched its surprise attack last week.

While alluding to Trump’s comments, he said, “The Americans should know that any US military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage.”

These planes are equipped with thermal and nuclear shielding, allowing them to withstand nuclear blasts, electromagnetic effects, and cyberattacks while also being capable of launching missiles.

Although the longest flight has been 35.4 hours, they are designed to stay airborne for a full week, with the capability to refuel mid-air.