Boeing E - 4 The Boeing E - 4 Advanced Airborne Command Post , with the project name " Nightwatch " , is an aircraft operated by the United States Air Force ( USAF ) . To create the E - 4 series , four Boeing 747 - 200B airframes were specially modified to serve as a survivable mobile command post for the National Command Authority , namely the President of the United States , the Secretary of Defense , and successors . The four E - 4Bs are operated by the 1st Airborne Command and Control Squadron of the 55th Wing located at Offutt Air Force Base , near Omaha , Nebraska . An E - 4B is denoted a " National Airborne Operations Center " when in action . Development . Two of the original 747 - 200 airframes were originally planned to be commercial airliners . When the airline did not complete the order , Boeing offered the airframes to the USAF as part of a package leading to a replacement for the older EC - 135J National Emergency Airborne Command Post ( NEAP ) . Under the 481B NEACP program the Air Force Electronic Systems Division awarded Boeing a contract in February 1973 for two unequipped aircraft , designated E - 4A , powered by four P & W JT9D engines , to which a third aircraft was added in July 1973 . The first E - 4A was completed at the Boeing plant outside Seattle , Washington in 1973 . E - Systems won the contract to install interim equipment in these three aircraft , and the first completed E - 4A was delivered to Andrews AFB , Maryland in December 1974 . The next two were delivered in 1975 , the third differed by being powered by the GE F103 engine , which was later made standard and retrofitted to the previous two aircraft . The " A " model effectively housed the same equipment as the EC - 135 , but offered more space and an ability to remain aloft longer than an EC - 135 . Additionally the E - 4 was capable of operating the " Looking Glass " missions of the former Strategic Air Command ( SAC ) . In December 1973 a fourth aircraft was contracted for , which was fitted with more advanced equipment , resulting in the designation E - 4B . On 21 December 1979 Boeing delivered the first E - 4B ( AF Serial Number 75 - 0125 ) , which was distinguished from the earlier version by the presence of a large " hump " on the dorsal surface directly behind the upper deck . This contains the aircraft ' s SHF satellite antenna . By January 1985 all three E - 4As had been retrofitted to E - 4B models . The E - 4B offered a vast increase in communications capability over the previous model and was considered to be ' hardened ' against the effects of electromagnetic pulse ( EMP ) from a nuclear blast . Hardening the aircraft meant that all equipment and wiring on board was shielded from EMP . Additional steps were taken to block radiation from the aircraft ' s cabin air management system and cockpit , including the novel use of the same screens used to cover the windows of microwave ovens placed over the flight deck windows . Estimates at the time of the production of the first E - 4B placed the developmental cost at nearly US $ 1 billion . The roll out cost of the fleet was placed at approximately US $ 250 million each . In 2005 the Air Force awarded Boeing a five year , US $ 2 billion contract for the continued upgrade of the E - 4B fleet . Design . The E - 4B is designed to survive an EMP with systems intact and has state - of - the - art direct fire countermeasures . Although many older aircraft have been upgraded with glass cockpits , the E - 4B still uses traditional analog instruments , as they are less susceptible to damage from an EMP blast . The E - 4B is capable of operating with a crew of 48 to 112 people , the largest crew of any aircraft in US Air Force history . With in - flight refueling it is capable of remaining airborne for a considerable period ( limited only by consumption of the engines ' lubricants ) . In a test flight for endurance , the aircraft remained airborne and fully operational for 35 . 4 hours , however it was designed to remain airborne for a full week in the event of an emergency . It takes two fully loaded KC - 135 tankers to fully refuel an E - 4B . The E - 4B has three operational decks ; upper , middle and lower . Upper deck . Flight deck . The flight deck contains the pilot ' s , copilot ' s , navigator ' s and flight engineer ' s stations , including a special navigation station not normally found on commercial Boeing 747s . A lounge area and sleeping quarters for flight crews and other personnel are located aft of the flight deck . The flight crew consists of an aircraft commander , co - pilot , navigator and flight engineer . Middle deck . The middle deck contains the conference room , which provides a secure area for conferences and briefings . It contains a conference table for nine people . Aft of the conference room is a projection room serving the conference room and the briefing room . The projection room has the capability of projecting computer graphics , overhead transparencies or 35 mm slides to either the conference room or the briefing room either singularly or simultaneously . The battle staff comprises force status controllers ( 3 ) , emergency action controllers , operations controller , communications controller , intelligence planners ( 4 ) , operations planners ( 4 ) , logistic planners ( 4 ) , chief of battle staff , airborne launch system officers ( 2 ) , weather officer , reconnaissance planner , damage assessment officer and administrators ( 2 ) , a total of 26 ; and communications operators ( 5 ) , radio maintenance men ( 5 ) and switchboard operators ( 2 ) , a total of 15 . The Looking Glass missions were commanded by a general officer with two staff officers , while the National Airborne Operations Center ( NAOC ) may rendezvous and embark a member of the National Command Authority ( NCA ) from an undisclosed location . There are at least 48 crew aboard any E - 4B mission . Operations team area . Behind the projection room is the operations team area containing the automatic data processing equipment and seats and console work areas for 29 staff members . The consoles are configured to provide access to or from the automated data processing , automatic switchboard , direct access telephone and radio circuits , direct ( " hot " ) lines , monitor panel for switchboard lines , staff and operator inter - phone and audio recorder . Technical Control area . The aft compartment at the end of the main deck is the Technical Control ( Tech Control ) area . This area was the nerve center for all communications and communications technicians . Typically 3 of the 6 crew positions were occupied here by specialized US Air Force Technicians that were responsible for the proper monitoring and distribution of all communications power , cooling , and reliability . The Technical Controller # 1 ( Tech 1 , TC1 ) was the direct interface with the aircraft Flight Engineer and Flight Crew . This position was also the main focal point for all communications related issues . The Technical Controller # 2 ( Tech 2 , TC2 ) was responsible for maintaining all UHF communications between the aircraft and the Nightwatch GEP ( Ground Entry Points ) . These GEP ' s provided 12 voice lines to the aircraft which were used in the day to day operations of the mission . Secure Voice was also provided . The SHF Operator ( or technician ) maintained the SHF satellite link and provided other worldwide communications services probably having replaced a lot of the UHF capabilities . Rest area . The rest area , which occupies the remaining portion of the aft main deck , provides a rest and sleeping area for the crew members . Forward entry area . Within the forward entry area is the main galley unit and stairways to the flight deck and to the forward lower equipment area . This area contains refrigerators , freezers , two convection ovens and a microwave oven to give stewards the capability to provide more than 100 hot meals during prolonged missions . Additionally , four seats are located on the left side of the forward entry area for the security guards and the stewards . NCA area . Behind the forward entry area is the NCA area , which is designed and furnished as an executive suite . It contains an office , a lounge and sleeping area , and a dressing room . Telephone instruments in this area provide the NCA with secure and clear worldwide communications . Briefing room . The briefing room contains a briefing table with three executive seats , eighteen additional seats , a lectern and two rear projection screens . Communications control area . The communications control area is divided into a voice area and a data area . The voice area , located on the right side of the compartment , contains the radio operator ' s console , the semi - automatic switchboard console and the communication officer ' s console . The data area , located on the left side of the area , contains the record communications console , record data supervisor ' s console , high speed DATA / AUTODIN / AFSAT console and LF / VLF control heads . The E - 4B can communicate with the ground over a wide range of frequencies covering virtually the entire radio communications spectrum from 14 kHz to 8 . 4 GHz . Ground stations can link the E - 4B into the main US ground - based communications network . Flight avionics area . The flight avionics area contains the aircraft systems power panels , flight avionics equipment , liquid oxygen converters and storage for baggage and spare parts . Lower Lobe . The forward lower equipment room contains the aircraft ' s water supply tanks , 1200 kVA electrical power panels , step down transformers , VLF transmitter and SHF SATCOM equipment . AC / DC powered hydraulic retractable Airstair is located in the forward right side of the forward lower equipment area , are installed for airplane entry and exit . In the event of an emergency , the airstair can be jettisoned if necessary . The aft lower lobe contains the maintenance console and mission specific equipment . The lower trailing wire antenna ( TWA ) area contains the aircraft ' s 5 mile long TWA reel – which is used by up to 13 communications links – the antenna operator ' s station , as well as the antenna reel controls and indicators . Much attention has been given to hardening this area against EMP , especially as the TWA , essential for communicating with ballistic missile submarines , is also particularly effective in picking up EMP . Operational history . The E - 4 fleet was originally deployed in 1974 , when it was termed National Emergency Airborne Command Post ( NEACP ) ( often pronounced " kneecap " ) . The aircraft was to provide a survivable platform to conduct war operations in the event of a nuclear attack . Early in the operations of the E - 4 , the media dubbed the aircraft as " the doomsday planes " . The aircraft were originally stationed at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland , so that the U . S . President and Secretary of Defense could access them quickly in the event of an emergency . The origin of the name " Nightwatch " comes from the richly detailed Rembrandt painting , " The Night Watch " , that depicts local townsfolk protecting a town ; it was selected by the Squadron ' s first commanding officer . Later , the aircraft were moved to Offutt Air Force Base where they would be safer from attack . Until 1994 , one E - 4B was stationed at Andrews Air Force Base at all times so the President could easily board it in times of world crisis . When a President boards the E - 4 , its call sign becomes " Air Force One " . ( NEACP aircraft originally used the static call sign " Silver Dollar " ; this call sign faded from use when daily call signs were put in use . ) The E - 4B also serves as the Secretary of Defense ' s preferred means of transportation when traveling outside the United States . The spacious interior and sophisticated communications capability provided by the aircraft allow the Secretary ' s senior staff to work for the duration of the mission . All E - 4s were converted to B - models by 1985 . With the adoption of two highly - modified Boeing 747 - 200Bs ( known as VC - 25A in Air Force parlance ) to serve as Air Force One in 1989 and the end of the Cold War , the need for NEACP diminished . In 1994 , NEACP began to be known as NAOC , and it took on a new responsibility : ferrying Federal Emergency Management Agency crews to natural disaster sites and serving as a temporary command post on the ground until facilities could be built on site . Evidently no E - 4B was employed during the Hurricane Katrina Disaster of 2005 , though one E - 4B was used by FEMA following Hurricane Opal in 1995 . The " cocked " or " on alert " E - 4B is manned 24 hours a day with a watch crew on board guarding all communications systems awaiting a launch order ( klaxon launch ) . Those crew members not on watch would be in the alert barracks , gymnasium , or at other base facilities . The 24 hour alert status at Andrews AFB ended when President Clinton ordered the aircraft to remain at Offutt unless needed , though relief crews remain based at Andrews and Wright - Patterson Air Force Base . One E - 4B is kept on alert at all times . September 11 , 2001 . On 11 September 2001 , an aircraft closely resembling an E - 4B was spotted and filmed orbiting the Washington D . C . area by news outlets and citizens , during the attack on the Pentagon . This aircraft sighting has added fuel to the continued speculation and debate concerning the September 11 attacks . In his book " Black Ice " , author Dan Verton identifies this aircraft as an E - 4B taking part in an operational exercise , saying the exercise was canceled when the first plane struck the World Trade Center . Recent history . In January 2006 , Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld announced the entire E - 4B fleet would be retired starting in 2009 . His replacement Robert Gates reversed this decision in May 2007 . The E - 4B fleet is to remain in service until at least 2015 . This is due to the unique capabilities of the E - 4B , which cannot be duplicated by any other single aircraft in Air Force service , and the cancellation in 2007 of the E - 10 MC2A , which was considered a successor to the EC - 135 and E - 8 aircraft , and could also perform many of the same tasks of the E - 4B . In addition , despite its build cost , the E - 4B is comparatively inexpensive to maintain and operate , as it uses the engines and structural components of the civilian 747 . All four produced are currently operated by the United States Air Force , and are assigned to the 1st Airborne Command Control Squadron ( 1ACCS ) of the 55th Wing at Offutt Air Force Base , Nebraska . Maintenance and crews are provided by Air Combat Command . Operations are coordinated by United States Strategic Command . Notable appearances in media . The E - 4B plays a prominent role in two motion pictures . In the HBO film " By Dawn ' s Early Light " , following a nuclear strike by the Russians the aircraft serves as a flying platform for the presumed president , played by Darren McGavin . The aircraft is pursued by a Boeing EC - 135 " Looking Glass " , which is attempting to intercept it . In the motion picture " The Sum of All Fears " , the president and his staff travel on an E - 4B following the detonation of a nuclear weapon by terrorists . In the novel , the Vice - president and his family are aboard Kneecap after terrorists explode a nuclear bomb in Denver while the President and his National Security Advisor are stuck at Camp David during a blinding snowstorm . National Geographic produced a television special on doomsday planning of the United States which includes footage from inside an E - 4 during a drill .