Not long after Hegseth’s cringe-worthy PR stunt, another doomsday plane sighting causes panic
Joyride aboard a military aircraft.
Another “doomsday plane”, specifically the E-6B Mercury, was spotted flying low over Fresno, California, on March 9, sparking public unease, especially since President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had indicated March 10 would be an incredibly intense day of bombing in Iran.
According to the NY Post, this recent sighting marked the second time one of these critical aircraft had been spotted over California in just two months. However, the circumstances of the March 9 flight were quite different from the one that occurred in January.
The E-6B Mercury, a US Navy asset, was simply conducting routine training exercises, including mock landings at Fresno Yosemite International Airport. It’s one of 16 such planes designed primarily to communicate with nuclear submarines using very low-frequency radio and to provide airborne ICBM launch control. This flight was all about maintaining operational readiness, and unlike the previous incident, no civilians were reported onboard.
These planes are never a welcome sight for civilians
The earlier event, on January 8, involved a Boeing E-4B Nightwatch, a US Air Force “doomsday plane” based on a modified 747-200 airframe. This aircraft, one of only four in active service, is a mobile command center for the President and other top officials during national emergencies. It’s packed with EMP-hardened systems and in-flight refueling capabilities, making it a flying Pentagon designed for nuclear command and control.
The plane made its first-ever landing at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in its 51-year history. This particular E-4B flight was part of Defense Secretary Hegseth’s “Arsenal of Freedom” tour, which aimed to promote U.S. defense manufacturing. Hegseth used the highly sensitive aircraft for transport to Southern California sites like Rocket Lab in Long Beach.
What truly raised eyebrows, and appeared to be a cringe-worthy PR stunt, was the passenger list. Conservative activists, including Laura Loomer, Olivia Rondeau, and L. Todd Wood, were onboard as invited members of Defense Secretary Hegseth’s revamped Pentagon press corps. It would appear that the idea was to generate favorable coverage and amplify Hegseth’s narrative of military strength and anti-woke reforms.
Critics were understandably furious, blasting the move as a serious security breach and a blatant misuse of a classified national asset. Allowing non-traditional journalists, especially those selected for political alignment, onto such a sensitive platform risked operational secrets and, more broadly, wasted taxpayer funds. The estimated cost for operating an E-4B is a staggering $380,000 per flight hour, which really puts the “joyride” aspect into perspective.
The public response was swift and intense, with significant online panic and media scrutiny amplifying concerns about Hegseth’s favoritism toward MAGA-aligned influential figures. It certainly felt like a blurring of military and political lines.
While the March 9 E-6B sighting sparked generalized anxiety due to its timing and the escalating U.S.-Iran tensions, it didn’t carry the same kind of scandal as the January incident. The earlier event drew sharp rebukes for its civilian access and political favoritism, highlighting a stark contrast in how these crucial national assets can sometimes be perceived and utilized.
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