Operation Looking Glass was a pivotal initiative launched by the United States Air Force to bolster the nation's nuclear command and control capabilities during the height of the Cold War. It involved the deployment of specially modified Boeing EC-135 aircraft, dubbed ‘Doomsday Planes,’ with the unique capability to take over and control U.S. Strategic Air Command (SAC) bombers and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) in case of a catastrophic event, such as a nuclear strike that compromised ground-based command facilities. The operation began due to heightened fears of a surprise Soviet attack and the necessity of maintaining a relentless airborne presence to ensure ongoing communication with nuclear forces.Over the subsequent decades, these aircraft operated 24/7, ensuring a Paranoid Continuity of Command. Grounded in the urgency of the Cold War, the operation illustrated the lengths to which military planners would go to secure American strategic interests. Each flight was meticulously planned, routinely involving comprehensive training missions and ensuring that the platform could provide a seamless command interface for missile deployment and bomber escort operations. As technology advanced, the mission shifted from analog to digital systems, but the fundamental concepts of vigilance and readiness remained unchanged.Operation Looking Glass exemplified a critical blend of aviation technology and military strategy, laying the groundwork for future command and control systems. Until the program’s phase-out in the early 1990s, it represented the U.S. commitment to maintaining a credible nuclear deterrent and operational control in the face of potential global nuclear conflict, shaping military operations and policy throughout the Cold War period.