A United States Air Force E-4B “Nightwatch” aircraft, often referred to as the “doomsday plane,” landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Sunday for refueling and an overnight crew rest, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) confirmed on Monday.

In a statement, the PAF said the aircraft had diplomatic clearance for the stopover but emphasized that “there is no VIP visit to the Philippines associated with it.”

The E-4B, a modified Boeing 747, serves as a flying command post for the U.S. President, Secretary of Defense, and other top military officials during national emergencies, including scenarios involving nuclear conflict. Only four units of the aircraft exist globally, and they rarely operate in the region without supporting high-level diplomatic or military engagements.

It is nicknamed the “doomsday plane” because it is hardened against electromagnetic pulses and designed to withstand nuclear blasts, ensuring U.S. command-and-control capabilities remain intact in the event of a catastrophic attack.

“The PAF will monitor and assist this diplomatic layover as needed until its departure,” the Air Force said, without providing further details about the aircraft’s origin, destination, or reason for choosing Manila for its layover.

The brief stop in the Philippines coincided with U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Malaysia on Sunday, the first leg of his Asia tour ahead of the ASEAN Summit, before departing for Tokyo.

While military analysts note that the E-4B often accompanies presidential or high-level defense missions as a contingency command center, Philippine officials reiterated that the Manila stop was purely logistical and unrelated to any official U.S. visit. (ILKHA)