Unusual guest in transit

Interesting transit over the Eastern Mediterranean: a US Navy Boeing E-6B “Mercury” (reg. 163920) has crossed the Aegean Sea heading north. Based on its route and altitude, it can be inferred that the aircraft may be coming from the Red Sea (or the Indian Ocean?).

Accompanying the Mercury on the same route is a USAF Boeing KC-135R (reg. 63-8031), which likely refueled the E-6B during its mission.

The E-6B serves as a command post and communications center, relaying information from the National Command Authority. One of its missions, TACAMO (Take Charge and Move Out), involves transmitting orders to ballistic missile submarines.

It’s worth noting that the U.S. has announced the deployment of a nuclear submarine, the USS Georgia (SSBN-729, an Ohio-class nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine), to the Middle Eastern region as a deterrent against a potential Iranian attack on Israel