The E-6B Mercury: A Repurposed Boeing 707 Airliner That Controls U.S. Strategic Forces
One of only 16 built, the 1980s-era Boeing E-6B Mercury, operated by the US Navy, is one of the less-common types in the US military, both in numbers and in mission. Tasked with serving as a flying switchboard and command center, it ensures that the President and the Secretary of Defense can communicate with the military, even when ground stations are unavailable.
Its specialized onboard equipment, such as a 2.5-mile-long trailing-wire antenna, enables a direct link to nuclear submarines. Additionally, it carries a crew capable of controlling land-based strategic forces from aloft.
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