What it could mean if you ever spot US doomsday plane flying over you without warning

If you see a US doomsday plane flying around, you may need to run. That might sound scary, but the aircraft is a fair indication that something disastrous is on the horizon.

So America has the means to react in various ways in the event of a nuclear war.

Donald Trump's 'nuclear football', for instance, has the capabilities of issuing a military order to launch its nuclear weapons from land, air, and sea, if needed.

But if the worst of the worst were to happen, there are also other precautions that the acting US president would need to take.

To get things started, they would need to get off the ground and establish a command and control centre, clear of any potential attack targets.

If you think about it, the government and military must keep running during a nuclear war or major disaster.

Spotting the US doomsday plane is as worrying as the name suggests (Jacquelyn Martin-Pool/Getty Images)

This is known as the National Airborne Operations Centre (NAOC), and they have prepared four E-4Bs, which when translated from tech-speak, are modified Boeing 747-200s that can be used for the military's doomsday needs and communications.

They aren't cheap to run, setting the military back $159,529 (£126,000) per hour to operate, as the Air Force's most expensive plane.

They will be used to carry and protect the nation's most senior military officials and key figures such as the President, who will be in charge during a nuclear crisis, or similar levels of emergency.

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Meant to be ready at any given time, one of the planes has its engines operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, ready to takeoff when needed.

Featuring advanced thermal and nuclear shielding, those inside will be protected from the impact of a nuclear blast.

If you see a US doomsday plane flying around, you may need to run (Jacquelyn Martin-Pool/Getty Images)

On top of this, the Boeing doomsday plane can fly non-stop for an entire week once airborne, due to its refuelling capabilities, while being loaded with protective measures to stop missile attacks.

If you step onboard, you'll see a mobile command centre with 'advanced radar and surveillance technology', which can keep track of any potential threats in real time, boasting some of the highest levels of tech in the world.

These four aircraft are based at an Air Force Base that also happens to be home to the US Strategic Command, south of Omaha, Nebraska.

Seeing it in the sky shouldn't necessarily cause a straight panic though as the planes are also used to transport officials overseas for events and meetings.

Additional words by Joshua Nair.