Alerts Sign-up
A Boeing 747-8 that previously operated for Korean Air has arrived at Hamburg Airport in Germany after a flight from Dayton, Ohio. The aircraft is set to be converted into a United States Air Force (USAF) "doomsday" plane, known as the E-4C. These planes are designed to serve as airborne command centers during national emergencies.
The aircraft, registered as N747EF, was delivered to Korean Air in September 2015 and withdrawn from service in October 2024. Over its passenger service life, it accumulated nearly 30,000 flight hours across more than 3,000 cycles. After leaving Korean Air’s fleet, the jet was transferred to Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) in Dayton following SNC's contract win to provide Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) jets for the USAF.
"Under the SAOC contract, SNC will modernize and deliver a replacement for the USAF’s current fleet of E-4B 'Nightwatch' aircraft with a modern E-4C aircraft. This highly specialized aircraft serves as an airborne command center trusted by the President and other top national security leaders to ensure continued critical airborne command, control, and communication during national emergencies," SNC stated.
