Science & Technology

US Navy's 'Doomsday' plane taken out by a bird

By T.K. Randall
October 19, 2019

Image: AI-generated (Midjourney) Designed to function as a mobile command-and-control center for US forces in the event of a nuclear war, the Boeing E-6 Mercury is equipped with systems that can withstand the electromagnetic pulse of a nuclear warhead exploding directly below it.

Sadly though, it's defensive capabilities against threats of an avian variety leave a lot to be desired.

In what has been officially described as a "Class A mishap", an E-6B Mercury was forced to make an emergency landing on October 2nd after a collision with a bird took out one of its engines.

The incident, which occurred near the Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland, caused over $2 million worth of damage."The engine has been replaced, and the aircraft has been returned to service," said Tim Boulay, a spokesman for the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division.

While bird strikes are not uncommon, the fact that an aircraft designed to survive a nuclear war can be brought down so easily by one is not exactly encouraging.

This isn't the first 'mishap' to befall the E-6B Mercury in recent months either - back in February a separate aircraft sustained damage after snagging a hangar at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma.

Let's hope there won't actually be any need for a doomsday-proof plane anytime soon.

Source: Live Science

Tags: Doomsday