The U.S. military's most dangerous weapon isn't the F-22 Raptor, Arleigh Burke class destroyer, or even the new aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford. It's a converted airliner that doesn't carry a single weapon but can start—or finish—World War III. It's the E-6 Mercury.

The E-6 Mercury, The National Interest explains, is designed to fight a nuclear war. Described by the U.S. Navy as a "communications relay and strategic airborne command post aircraft," the E-6 is also called TACAMO, an acronym that stands for Take Charge and Move Out. This reflects its mission during a crisis: get in the air quickly and avoid being destroyed in a nuclear first strike.

The E-6 uses Very Low Frequency (VLF) radios to communicate with Ohio-class fleet ballistic missile submarines, relaying orders from the National Command Authority—including orders to launch Trident nuclear missiles.The E-6 also has the ability to relay orders to land-based ICBMs as a backup the Air Force's E-4 Looking Glass aircraft.

The 16 converted airliners have a flight crew of 22 and can stay aloft for long periods of time, broadcasting Emergency Action Messages (EAMs) to U.S. strategic nuclear forces around the globe. EAMs are frequently picked up by amateur radio enthusiasts. Here's one uploaded to YouTube:

youtubeView full post on Youtube

"Skyking" messages are directed at U.S. nuclear assets and command and control.

Read more here.

From: Popular Mechanics