Defense Secretary Flies Aboard Advanced Flagship

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld cuts no corners when going on the typical trip abroad. Except when covert operations are a must, Secretary Rumsfeld flies aboard an advanced National Airborne Operations Center -- a "flying Pentagon".

The specially designed E-4B is a highly modified 747-200 which serves to permit national civilian and military commanders to securely and reliably communicate with on-ground installations, ships, and other aircraft.

There are four of these flying flagships, each specifically hardened and shielded to withstand the effects of nuclear attack. Each E-4B is laden with equipment to communicate with the outside world through direct links to military satellites.

According to an August 1, 2005 article at DefenseLink.mil, Secretary Rumsfeld maintains the capability to communicate with the Pentagon while abroad through use of the E-4B's sophisticated suite of advanced electronics. He also takes advantage of the refueling capability of the massive aircraft to save almost a day's worth of travel time.

Comment: The fact that we still have these aircraft, which were originally intended to serve during the Cold War, shows how highly we value the command structure, come hell or high water. The security of command and communications has never been in better hands.