US ‘doomsday plane’ spotted in NAIA

MANILA, Philippines — A United States aircraft nicknamed “doomsday plane” landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Sunday, according to the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

The Boeing E4B aircraft landed at NAIA and remained overnight “for refueling and crew rest.”

“This aircraft has diplomatic clearance, but there is no VIP visit to the Philippines associated with it,” the PAF said in a statement on Monday. 

PAF added it will monitor and assist the aircraft in a “diplomatic layover” until its departure on Monday.

Col. Maria Christina Basco, PAF spokesperson, later said the Boeing E4B aircraft took off at around 11:38 a.m.

The aircraft’s presence in the country comes as US President Donald Trump is now headed to Japan for the second leg of his Asia tour expected to culminate in a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Trump’s tour in the region kicked off in Malaysia for the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit, also attended by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. 

Often nicknamed as a “doomsday plane,” the E-4B could serve as a headquarters in case of national emergency or destruction of American ground command and control centers.

The E-4B serves as the National Airborne Operations Center and is a key component of the National Military Command System for the US president, the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.