One enthusiastic shutterbug is set to feel the wrath of U.S. authorities, as a Chinese national has reportedly been arrested for trying to take pictures of one of the country's most closely guarded vehicles.
If everything goes to pot and nukes really start raining from the sky, it's no secret that President Donald Trump would quickly be whisked away to safety. If not hiding out in a secret bunker beneath the White House or escaping to the various top-secret facilities buried in mountains, there's an impressive doomsday plan that should account for every grim reality.
The government also has a fleet of TACAMO ("Take Charge and Move Out") planes, with these souped-up E-6Bs serving as part of the Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP). Alongside this, there's the Boeing E-4B 'Nightwatch' plane. Said to be able to withstand nuclear and EMP blasts, the president’s ‘doomsday plane’ is designed to remain airborne for a full week (with refuelling), boasts 42 distinct communication systems to contact almost any military element around the globe, serves as a flying command center that can accommodate 111 people, and more
Despite previously being given a glimpse into what the E-4B looks like inside, it's still shrouded in secrecy.
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In the aftermath of Donald Trump threatening that a "whole civilization will die tonight", the Nightwatch plane was spotted above Nebraska's Offutt Air Force Base in early April. As this is home to the headquarters of the US Strategic Command, there were fears that the current administration was preparing for the worst.
Now, a Chinese national has apparently been arrested at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport after he was spotted near Offutt Air Force Base. As reported by Fox News, 21-year-old Tianrui Liang was arrested after he photographed sensitive military aircraft, including the Nightwatch plane.
An FBI affidavit explains how investigators were alerted to reports of "a male holding a camera with a telescopic lens" near Offutt. It's said that Lian admitted to photographing the E-4B and the RC-135 surveillance plane.
Although Liang maintains the images were for his 'personal collection', authorities say "he knew it was illegal to take pictures of the planes on the ground."
As well as the incident at Offutt, Lian supposedly planned to head to Oklahoma to get more pictures of the E-4B at Tinker Air Force Base.
This comes shortly after a YouTuber faced federal charges for flying a drone over the secretive Raven Rock Mountain Complex.
We're reminded that the law prohibits photographing a military installation without approval from a base commander, with prosecutors adding that there's "probable cause to believe" Liang didn't have prior approval.
A review of Liang's camera apparently revealed "numerous photographs of planes located on the OAFB flightline," which included shots of military aircraft that were parked on the base. Following a warrant being issued in Nebraska, he was detained while trying to board an international flight.
Despite the potential legal ramifications heading Lian's way, the affidavit doesn't allege that he was acting on behalf of a foreign government.