Washington, October 2: Two Boeing E-6B Mercury aircraft, also referred to as "Doomsday Planes", went off both the US coasts for a brief span of time after the news of President Donald Trump contracting COVID-19 infection was confirmed. Experts observing this defence exercise view it as a "warning" for the nations marked as United States' adversaries. 'Donald Trump Paid The Price': Editor of China's Mouthpiece Mocks US President, First Lady for Contracting COVID-19.

The planes were seen in open-source satellite imagery in wee hours of Friday, shortly after the White House issued a statement that Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have tested positive. Both of them underwent the coronavirus tests after Hope Hicks, a top adviser to the US President, was confirmed to be infected with the contagious disease.

Tim Hogan, an open-source intelligence expert, took to social media to point out the link between Trump testing positive and E-6Bs flying in the airspace.

"There’s an E-6B Mercury off the east coast near DC...I looked because I would expect them to pop up if he tests positive. It’s a message to the small group of adversaries with” submarine-launched ballistic missiles and intercontinental ballistic missiles," he said on Twitter.

See Tim Hogan's Tweet

STRATCOM Issues Clarification on Doomsday Planes

U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM) issued a statement to clarify that the taking-off of planes was preplanned and not linked to Trump testing positive. "The timing was coincidental," a STRATCOM spokesperson was reported as saying.

Notably, STRATCOM is in-charge of overseeing America's nuclear arsenal. A clarification was issued by the department after experts pointed that the flying of E-6Bs is linked to a message on the nuclear front which the US wants to convey to the "enemies".

The Doomsday planes have earned their tag as they are capable of sending instructions to nuclear submarines. The weapon system would only be used by the United States in wake of a catastrophic situation, successive governments have underlined.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 02, 2020 09:57 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).