On March 10, 2025, a U.S. Navy E-6B Mercury, often referred to as a “Doomsday plane,” was spotted embarking on a peculiar 7-hour flight that has left observers and analysts speculating about its purpose.
The aircraft, designed to serve as an airborne command post during catastrophic events such as nuclear war, took off from Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma and proceeded to circle Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska—a key nuclear command, control, and communications hub—before returning to its origin.
This unusual flight path, tracked by enthusiasts on platforms like AirNav Radar, has raised eyebrows and fueled discussions about its implications, especially given its timing and location.
According to a report by UNILAD Tech published on March 13, 2025, the E-6B Mercury departed Tinker Air Force Base around 9 a.m. local time on Monday, March 10.
The plane then spent approximately seven hours circling the airspace around Offutt Air Base, a facility critical to the U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), before heading back to Oklahoma.
Flight tracking data, as noted by the Daily Mail on March 10, revealed that the aircraft traced repetitive loops over Nebraska, a pattern that deviates from typical operational flights.
The Daily Mail also reported that three additional E-6B Mercury planes were active that day, with one conducting a shorter trip near Tulsa, Oklahoma, and others spotted along the East and West Coasts.
The E-6B Mercury is a militarized Boeing 707 designed to relay commands to nuclear forces, including submarines armed with Trident missiles, ensuring continuity of communication in the event of a nuclear conflict.
Unlike its Air Force counterpart, the E-4B Nightwatch, which is often associated with protecting high-ranking officials like the president, the E-6B focuses on nuclear command and control, making its presence near Offutt particularly noteworthy.
USSTRATCOM addressed the sighting in a statement to the Daily Mail, with spokeswoman Karen Singer asserting that “these flights were pre-planned missions” and that their timing was “merely a coincidence.”
This explanation aimed to quell speculation that the flights signaled an imminent threat or emergency.
However, the lack of detailed disclosure about the mission’s purpose has done little to dampen public curiosity, especially given the plane’s ominous nickname and its association with doomsday scenarios.
The E-6B’s capabilities add to the intrigue. As highlighted by UNILAD on March 12, 2025, the aircraft is equipped with advanced communication systems and can operate for extended periods—potentially up to a week—without landing, thanks to in-flight refueling.
Captain Adam Scott emphasized its role in maintaining nuclear deterrence in a Naval News statement, noting that recent upgrades ensure the fleet’s readiness “for years to come.”
This context underscores why such a flight might draw attention, particularly when circling a nuclear base.
The sighting quickly gained traction online, with social media platforms like X buzzing with theories.
Posts compiled from X between March 11 and 13, 2025, ranged from alarmist takes—such as suggestions that the flight hinted at preparations for nuclear conflict—to more measured interpretations viewing it as routine military activity.
One user, cited by IFLScience, jokingly asked, “Where’s Harold Camping?? He back?”—referencing the infamous doomsday predictor—while others speculated about geopolitical signaling amid global tensions.
The Daily Mail noted that some observers tied the flight to unrelated events, such as former President Donald Trump’s health, suggesting it was a show of strength to deter adversaries.
However, no evidence supports this claim, and experts lean toward the official line of it being a scheduled exercise.
Still, the plane’s reputation as a harbinger of apocalyptic scenarios—earned through its nuclear-proof design and electromagnetic pulse-resistant systems—ensured that its appearance would spark unease.
The E-6B Mercury and its sister aircraft, the E-4B Nightwatch, are integral to U.S. national security, designed to provide survivable command and control in worst-case scenarios.
Business Insider, in a November 16, 2024, feature, detailed the E-4B’s role as a “flying war room” capable of supporting the president and military leaders during a nuclear attack, equipped with 67 satellite dishes and thermal shielding.
The E-6B, while less publicized, complements this mission by focusing on nuclear force coordination, as Forbes described in a February 3, 2023, piece on its historical predecessor, Operation Looking Glass.
Recent developments underscore the ongoing relevance of these aircraft.
In April 2024, Sierra Nevada Corp. won a $13 billion contract to develop the Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC), a next-generation successor to the E-4B, as reported by Reuters and Defense News.
This investment reflects the Pentagon’s commitment to maintaining airborne command capabilities well into the future, even as the current fleet ages.
