Overview
- The aircraft was tracked departing Offutt Air Force Base, stopping at Joint Base Andrews, and later appearing at Los Angeles International Airport, according to reports and public flight observations on Jan. 9–10.
- The E-4B functions as an airborne national command post to ensure continuity of government for senior U.S. leadership during extreme crises.
- It is hardened against electromagnetic pulse, equipped with secure satellite communications, and can remain aloft for extended periods through aerial refueling.
- Video of the movement at LAX circulated widely on social media and aviation streams, with one account noting a subsequent departure on Friday afternoon.
- Some coverage cited a Defense Department notice of a scheduled Los Angeles visit by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and suggested he may have been aboard, which has not been confirmed and has not been linked to any operation by U.S. authorities.