- By Shivangi Sharma
- Tue, 02 Dec 2025 09:11 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
A US Boeing E-6B Mercury, often dubbed the “Doomsday Plane,” vanished from public radar systems over the Atlantic Ocean on November 28, sparking speculation among defense analysts and aviation enthusiasts. While some experts suggest it may be part of a routine classified mission, others worry about the unexplained disappearance of one of the Pentagon’s most critical aircraft.
The E-6B Mercury is operated by two operational squadrons: the ‘Ironmen’ of Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron (VQ) 3 and the ‘Shadows’ of VQ-4, with support from the TACAMO Weapons School and the ‘Roughnecks’ of VQ-7, a Fleet Replacement Squadron. These units deploy aircrews to forward operating bases including Travis Air Force Base in California, Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, and Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland.
Sudden Loss Of Radar Contact
According to DailyMail.com, the aircraft in question departed Naval Air Station Patuxent River in St. Mary’s County, Maryland on Friday. Initially, it appeared to follow a routine southeast course over the Chesapeake Bay, passing the Norfolk naval complex. However, about 60 miles east of the Virginia Capes, the plane’s public transponder abruptly went dark, leaving civilian tracking services unable to monitor its position.
TACAMO Missions And Strategic Role
The E-6B Mercury performs “Take Charge and Move Out” (TACAMO) missions, maintaining secure communications with US strategic forces, including ballistic missile submarines, even during nuclear contingencies. Once over the ocean, the Mercury enters classified warning zones, deploys a multi-mile trailing wire antenna, and typically flies racetrack patterns for four to eight hours, transmitting encrypted messages to submarines and ground command stations.
This aircraft is a crucial component of Operation Looking Glass, the Airborne Command Post program designed to ensure continuity of command if ground-based nuclear command centers are destroyed or compromised. The Mercury fleet enables the President and Secretary of Defence to communicate directly with US submarines, strategic bombers, and missile silos in real-time, even under nuclear attack scenarios.