About the tornado that nearly destroyed America's 'Doomsday' squadron

On June 16, 2017, a tornado with winds of 135-175 km/h swept through Offutt Air Force Base in the central United States and severely damaged two E-4B Nightwatch aircraft, also known as "doomsday planes". The incident left the US with only one E-4B capable of operating for three months, showing the vulnerability of the most important squadron in Washington's nuclear defense plan, according toDrive.

The tornado also severely damaged eight RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft at Offutt Air Force Base. The total damage from the tornado was estimated at $20 million, including $8 million in repairs to the two E-4Bs. The US Air Force has only four Nightwatch aircraft, and in addition to the two damaged by the tornado, a third is undergoing maintenance at the Boeing plant. In fact, 75% of Washington’s mobile warfighting command was disabled before it could be used in combat.

“The storm took the worst possible path, and it was fortunate that no one was hurt,” recalled Col. Dave Norton, commander of the 55th Air Support Wing at Offutt Air Force Base, which operates the Air Force’s fleet of E-4Bs, RC-135s, and other reconnaissance aircraft.

The E-4B is a mobile war command center, carrying dozens of military analysts, strategists and communications assistants to assist the US president. They are equipped with many special components, such as wire antennas up to 8km long to maintain communication with nuclear submarine forces, even if ground communication stations are destroyed.

When they take off, they will be called the National Air Operations Center (NAOC). In operation since the 1970s, the E-4B has always been the best option for the US president to survive a nuclear attack.

Before the June 16, 2017 tornado, the 55th Wing commander decided to move two E-4Bs into hangars due to concerns about hail. These hangars were not large enough to cover the entire E-4B, but they still protected the cockpit, wings, engines, and many antenna and electronics compartments along the fuselage.

Despite operating the E-4B fleet, Offutt has no hangars large enough to protect them from storms. The base’s location deep in the U.S. “tornado valley” further increases the risk of damage to the aircraft. Typically, the E-4B and RC-135 fleets are evacuated to other areas when a tornado approaches. This process requires extensive planning and time, making it impractical in most tornado cases.

As the tornado hit Offutt, high winds whipped the E-4Bs’ massive tail fins, which were exposed outside the hangar. The winds were so strong that the 190-ton E-4Bs were easily pushed into the hangar, smashing into objects inside. The walls and roof were also destroyed, exposing everything inside to the terrible conditions of the tornado.

“The noise was deafening,” said Master Sgt. Ken Parker, who was supervising hangar security at the time. The tornado caused the engine of one E-4B to slam into the maintenance area, punching a large hole in the front of the engine. The other suffered a ruptured fuel tank, but base firefighters were able to contain it before the leaking fuel caught fire.

Details of the damage to the two E-4Bs are still unclear, but it could have been much worse. Master Sergeant Parker, Tech. Olivia Fernandez and Walter Scott were all awarded medals for their quick response before the tornado hit. They risked their lives running from the shelter to the hangar, then released the locking pins on the two E-4Bs’ landing gear.

"If the front landing gear is not unlocked and free to move, it can break and cause the nose of the aircraft to hit the ground. We try to save the aircraft as much as possible," Parker explained.

It took the Air Force three months to get the two Nightwatches back in operational condition, but the incident highlighted the weaknesses and difficulties in maintaining the aging E-4B fleet. The planes are based on the Boeing 747-200 civilian airframe, which has been out of production since the 1970s and has seen operating and maintenance costs skyrocket in recent years.

Currently, US defense corporations have not proposed to replace the E-4B fleet, while Washington has not requested the design of a new war command aircraft. This means that the E-4B fleet will have to serve for at least the next 20 years and face many safety threats, including strong tornadoes in the Offutt base area.