[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] The E-4B Presidential Aircraft Used by the US Secretary of Defense Is

E-4B landed at El Dorado International Airport in Bogot?, Colombia. Photo by Wikipedia

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] Tony Blinken, the United States' top diplomat, and Lloyd Austin, the Secretary of Defense, simultaneously visited South Korea on the 17th. This is the first simultaneous visit by the U.S. Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense to South Korea in 11 years since July 2010.

Secretary Austin arrived at Osan Air Base around noon aboard the E-4B Nightwatch, an airborne command and control aircraft, while Secretary Blinken arrived at 2:40 p.m. on a dedicated plane.

The E-4B, the U.S. Secretary of Defense's dedicated aircraft, is equipped with nuclear warfighting capabilities, including the ability to issue direct orders to all military forces from the air, earning it the nickname "Doomsday Plane."

The E-4B is also called the "Flying Pentagon" or "Nightwatch." When the U.S. President orders a nuclear strike, the E-4B transmits attack codes to U.S. forces worldwide via satellite and commands the operation.

Except for some seats, the E-4B is filled with command and communication facilities. The United States currently operates four E-4Bs and keeps at least one airborne 24 hours a day to prepare for potential nuclear attacks by hostile nations. The E-4B is designed to remain airborne for at least three days immediately after a nuclear war breaks out, directing nuclear retaliation and surviving U.S. forces, as well as serving as an airborne command post for temporary government operations after the war. This concept differs from the commonly known "Air Force One," the presidential aircraft used as a "peacetime office."

Originally, the U.S. military used the EC-135 aircraft for airborne command post duties until the 1970s. However, due to aging, Boeing developed the E-4 based on the then-largest passenger aircraft, the B747-200. The E-4 was equipped with various devices to withstand electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attacks during nuclear strikes.

In January 2006, then-Secretary of Defense James Rumsfeld announced plans to retire the E-4 fleet starting in 2009, but the aircraft's capabilities have been maintained. Ultimately, the Obama administration upgraded the E-4 in 2009, planning to use it until 2039. The model first delivered to the U.S. military in 1974 is called the E-4A, and the upgraded version completed by 1985 is called the E-4B.

The E-4B was publicly displayed during the 1987 ROK-U.S. joint exercise "Team Spirit" and when then-Secretary of Defense Robert Gates visited South Korea in 2010. It was also used during James Mattis's visit to South Korea on February 2, 2017.

The E-4B follows the U.S. President whenever he moves aboard "Air Force One (VC-25)." This is to immediately transport the President and serve as an airborne command post in the event of a nuclear war.

Because of this, some interpret the recent visit of the E-4B to South Korea as a warning message to North Korea. When tensions on the Korean Peninsula escalated last June, including North Korea's demolition of the Kaesong Inter-Korean Liaison Office, the U.S. Strategic Command released footage of E-4B training exercises.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.