"Aviation enthusiasts spotted the plane on Thursday on its approach to LAX. Billed by the U.S. Air Force as a "highly survivable command, control and communications center." The plane is equipped to serve as an airborne operations center for the president, the Defense Secretary and the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the event of a disaster that wipes out command centers on land. Its sudden appearance at a busy commercial airport sparked a flurry of online speculation."
"Hegseth spoke Thursday at the Long Beach manufacturing plant, Rocket Lab, the second stop on what the Department of Defense as a monthlong tour of U.S. industrial defense companies. The Defense Department later posted images on social media of Hegseth working out with the Reserve Officers' Training Corps at UCLA. Far-right activist Laura Loomer, Breitbart News reporter Olivia Rondeau and media figure accompanied Hegseth on the trip and shared photos of themselves with the plane online."
The Boeing E-4B Nightwatch, nicknamed the "Doomsday Plane," landed at Los Angeles International Airport, possibly its first LAX arrival. The aircraft functions as a hardened airborne command, control and communications center designed to host top national leaders if land-based command centers are disabled. Aviation observers noted the unexpected approach and online reactions included speculation about imminent threats. The flight was carrying Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during his monthlong "Arsenal of Freedom" tour of U.S. defense manufacturers. Hegseth visited Rocket Lab in Long Beach and participated in events with UCLA ROTC while media figures accompanied the trip.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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