DONALD Trump’s nuclear-hardened “Doomsday Plane” has touched down near to Washington DC as speculation grows over a strike on Iran.
The US Air Force E-4B “Nightwatch” aircraft, known for its impervious nature, stealthily touched down at Joint Base Andrews on a dark Tuesday night, following a crisis meeting led by Trump in the White House Situation Room.
Aviation enthusiasts, keen on every movement in the sky, closely monitored the sizable Boeing as it embarked on an uncharacteristic flight path originating from Barksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Its movement has sparked fears that it could be a clear indication of Trump and the US joining the war against Iran.
The US government has been urged to join forces with Israel in recent days and bring an end to the Iranian regime in the Middle East.
Trump has even directly threatened Tehran’s Supreme Leader this week, saying “we know where you’re hiding”.
US officials have stressed no official decision has been made yet about their intervention.
But the Nightwatch being moved to just outside of the capital has raised many eyebrows around why it is now so close to the president.
The craft took off from Bossier City and traveled along the coast before landing at the airbase in Maryland at 10:01pm.
The aircraft remained in the air for more than four hours, attracting attention with its unprecedented call signs – ORDER01, deviating from the customary ORDER6 designation, leaving online trackers intrigued.
The militarized Boeing 747-200 is only used by the White House’s top staff and defence forces in case of a major emergency or global crisis.
The aircraft has only been called into action once before – on September 11, 2001 during the attack on the Twin Towers.
This is due to it being specially designed to keep the US’s most powerful figures safe even in the most deadly conditions.
It is designed to withstand electromagnetic pulses and even nuclear and thermal blasts – hence the “Doomsday Plane” nickname.
They have been in operation since the 1970s and were long considered the best chance for a Cold War president to survive a nuke.
The massive 231ft jet can hold up to 111 crew and passengers on board and features six main areas from a relaxing lounge to a command work area and briefing room.
Another key safety feature is that the plane has four engines and is capable of refueling mid flight allowing for over 35 hours in the air.
Elsewhere, an advanced satellite communications system allows for worldwide conversations with global senior leaders.
An engine can produce 52,500 pounds of thrust from the planes and they can carry up to 800,000 pounds.
This weight can be easily distributed across the massive 231ft long craft that also boasts a 195ft wingspan.
Each individual plane is believed to have cost a whopping $223million to make.
While it is still unclear why the plane was moved overnight, the aircraft is operational 24/7 to make sure it is always available when needed.
Regular training flights are often done throughout the year as well.
It follows a week of signs that the US is preparing to blitz Iran with the most notable being a huge US air armada made up of dozens of military jets landing in Europe this week.
At least 30 large air-to-air refuellers swooped across the Atlantic followed by at least a dozen F-22 Raptors and F-35 Lightning jets.
Experts said the F-22s and F-35s would most likely be used to bolster Israel’s air defence amid fears Tel Aviv cold run low in its Iron Dome and interceptor missiles.
But there are fears the fighter bombers could also be used to strike targets inside Iran.
The USS Nimitz aircraft carrier was also seen steaming towards the Gulf to reinforce the carrier USS Carl Vinson.
The US President has already warned the “full strength and might” of the military would be used if America was attacked.
Dozens of USAF KC-135 Stratotanker refuelers and KC-46 Pegasus tankers swooped into bases in Prestwick, Scotland, Ramstein, Germany, Moron in Spain and Chania in Crete.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said he had ordered “the deployment of additional capabilities” to the Middle East amid spiralling fears of World War Three.
But he insisted their role was “defensive”.
The Sun’s trip on board USS Nimitz
By Ryan Parry, Senior Reporter
AS America sends the flagship USS Nimitz supercarrier to the Middle East amid rising tensions, the Sun reveals what life is like onboard.
The Sun spent two days on board the Nimitz, nicknamed Old Salt, a $4.5billion nuclear-powered supercarrier weighing almost 100,000 tons.
The warship is 1,092ft long and 252ft wide and has a four and a half acre flight deck.
The massive 117,000 sq ft warship boasts four aircraft catapults and jets are brought up to the deck using four giant elevators from the hangar deep below the 4.5 acre flight deck.
The supercarrier, the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 11, holds F/A-18 Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers and F-35C stealth strike fighters.
Inside the ten floor, 3,000 room hull underneath the flight deck life is one slick operation.
There are several cafeterias, gyms, a Starbucks coffee shop and ‘luxury’ state rooms for ‘Distinguished Visitors’.
Since it is nuclear-powered, the Nimitz – call sign NMTZ – can operate for up to 20 years without refueling.
The Nimitz is the world’s second largest supercarrier, only behind the Gerald R Ford.
