Is the US preparing for nuclear war? The 'doomsday planes' drill, explained

What is being shared

On October 28, the Daily Mail ran the headline "US launches nuclear readiness drills with 'doomsday planes' and bombers airborne nationwide." It reports flight data showing B-52 bombers leaving Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota and several E-6B Mercury aircraft, which it calls "doomsday planes," flying over the US.

Shared as a headline alone, it can read as if the US is gearing up for a nuclear war. The article itself says otherwise, and so does the military.

What US Strategic Command actually said

US Strategic Command announced on October 22 that it "began its annual Global Thunder nuclear command and control exercise this morning." It says the exercise involves personnel across "the strategic enterprise," and that its purpose "is to enhance nuclear readiness and ensure a safe, secure, effective and credible strategic deterrent force."

Its announcement is explicit: "This is an annual exercise and is not in response to actions by any nation, other actors or current world events." It adds: "As in previous years, Global Thunder 27 may include an increase in bomber and other aircraft flights throughout the exercise."

What is confirmed, and what is not

Confirmed: the exercise, its start date of October 22, and the extra flights. STRATCOM calls it annual, and says the extra flights happen "as in previous years." The Daily Mail's own article says officials stressed it "is an annual exercise and is not a response to any country or current world events."

Not right, or at least misleading: the word "launches." The exercise started six days before the headline, and the timing is routine. Nothing in STRATCOM's announcement or the Daily Mail's reporting points to a threat, a new alert level, or any instruction for the public.

Why the military runs it

Global Thunder tests whether the people, aircraft and communications that control US nuclear forces work together under pressure. The E-6B Mercury aircraft in the headline are, in the Daily Mail's words, "flying command and communications centers" that keep national leaders connected to those forces. Exercising them regularly is routine, in the way a hospital tests its backup power.

It arrives the same month as reporting on the Pentagon's plan to make bases self-sufficient for 90 days, which we checked here. The two are separate, and neither is a warning to households.

What it means for your home

Nothing changes. STRATCOM's announcement asks nothing of the public, and Ready.gov's advice is the same as before. If you have ever wondered what the official advice for a radiation emergency is, Ready.gov's is short: "The best way to stay safe in any radiation emergency is to get inside, stay inside and stay tuned." It says that after a detonation "you will have 10 minutes or more to find an adequate shelter before fallout arrives," and to stay in the most protective spot, a basement or the center of a large building, for the first 24 hours.

Our fallout shelter guide covers where to shelter at home, and the potassium iodide guide explains what it does and doesn't do.

• Get inside: the nearest building, away from windows
• Stay inside: a basement or the middle of the building, for at least 24 hours unless told otherwise
• Stay tuned: follow instructions from emergency officials on a radio or phone

What not to do

Don't buy potassium iodide because of a headline about a drill. CDC says: "Do not take KI unless instructed by public health or emergency response officials or a healthcare provider." It only protects the thyroid from radioactive iodine, and it can have harmful effects when used wrongly. A battery or hand-crank radio, water and a basic home kit cover far more of the emergencies you are likely to face.