https://www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-13-billion-contract-doomsday-plane-saoc/
Quote:
April 28, 2024 | By Greg Hadley
The Air Force awarded a $13.08 billion contract to the Sierra Nevada Corporation on April 26 for its Survivable Airborne Operations Center aircraft, the successor to the service’s E-4B “Doomsday” plane.
Like the E-4B, officially called the National Airborne Operations Center, the SAOC will be meant to withstand a nuclear attack and keep the government running from the air during a crisis.
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Comment: The "Glass" -- always in the air and ready in a moments notice to direct and guide when the situation warranted.
https://nuke.fas.org/guide/usa/c3i/ec-135.htm
Quote:
EC-135, Looking Glass
A mark of America's strategic excellence is its preeminent ability to command, control, and communicate with its nuclear forces. An essential element of that ability is the Airborne Command Post, also called "Looking Glass.", which was retired from service on 01 October 1998. Its highly-trained crew and staff ensured there was always an aircraft ready to direct bombers and missiles from the air should ground-based command centers become inoperable. Looking Glass guaranteed that U.S. strategic forces would act only in the precise manner dictated by the President.