I’m sorry to be the one to break the news, but if you ever see this jet flying over, it might be a sign of trouble ahead.

The concept of a doomsday plane may sound like something lifted directly from a low-budget apocalypse thriller, but most works of fiction contain a kernel of truth, and it should come as no surprise that world leaders have a backup plan in place for the worst-case scenario, considering how unstable world politics are right now.

What is the doomsday plane, then, and how likely is it that you will face impending disaster if you spot one?

What is the ‘doomsday plane’ and what does it mean if you see it?

You only have roughly five minutes in the worst-case situation because this specific military aircraft, known as the Boeing E-4 or National Airborne Operations Centre (NAOC), was built with a nuclear war or other worldwide disaster in mind.

The plane is essentially a customized aircraft that is intended to serve as the President of the United States’ mobile war headquarters. An whole week may be spent in the air thanks to the E-4’s ability to refuel without landing and fly for about 12 hours at 600 mph.

It sounds somewhat dystopian, doesn’t it?

The Boeing E-4 was first developed in the 1970s with the dual missions of launching retaliation missiles and providing a shelter for a Cold War president in the event of a nuclear strike.

The United States is not the only country that has prepared for the worst; according to Euro News, there is a “Flying Kremlin” that would provide the Russian president, better known as Vladimir Putin, with the same catastrophic powers.

These bad boys also cost the military $159,529 (£126,000) an hour to operate, making them the most expensive aircraft in the Air Force.

Additionally, the Boeing E-4 aircraft have several defense systems that make them impervious to cyberattacks, including analog flight controls and the capacity to endure electromagnetic pulses.

Based at the US Strategic Command, south of Omaha, Nebraska, the US possesses four of these doomsday planes, one of which is always on high alert, according to MailOnline.

According to CNET, the planes are equipped with advanced communication equipment and can accommodate a crew of up to 112 people.

However, we’re not sure to whom you would be speaking if a nuclear apocalypse had destroyed the planet.

What happens if you spot a ‘doomsday plane’?

Even if the doomsday plane sounds terrifying, you shouldn’t freak out when you see one because authorities are occasionally flown abroad for meetings and festivities.

However, it could be preferable to be on Earth rather than circling a wrecked planet for a few days before the inevitable occurs if it is indeed a sign of the end times.