Nuclear Command Planes On Alert After Trump Diagnosis. 'Purely Coincidental,' Military Says

Planewatchers reported a pair of E6-B Mercury planes in the air around the time of Donald Trump’s announcement that he had contracted COVID-19, Fox reports. E6-B planes are used by the military to relay commands to nuclear submarines. One was spotted flying along each coast.

The planes were spotted around the same time as the public received confirmation that Donald Trump had tested positive for COVID-19. The first lady, Trump aide Hope Hicks, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and RNC chair Ronna McDaniel were also confirmed to have contracted the virus.

A military spokesperson told Fox that the timing of the planes was “purely coincidental,” but open-source intelligence practitioner Tim Hogan was skeptical.

The military usually keeps at least one E6-B in the air at all times, and not unusual to have two or more up simultaneously. They typically fly, however, with their transponders off to avoid detection. The two planes flying Friday kept their transponders on, broadcasting their presence to the world.

E6-B planes produce and receive extremely low-frequency transmissions using a five-mile-long antenna. The low frequencies are ideal for communicating with the country's network of nuclear submarines because they can pierce up to 60 feet of water. They are also hardened against EMP’s like the ones triggered by nuclear blasts to maintain functionality should they ever have to actually call in a nuclear strike.

The E6-B entered service in the late 1980s, and has been retrofitted with larger fuel capacities and more efficient engines. Their current model can stay in the air for 15 hours solo or 72 hours with in-flight refueling.