Did US Nuclear Emergency Aircraft B-350 Secretly Circle Pakistan’s Kirana Hills Recently?

Last Updated:May 16, 2025, 15:17 IST

The aircraft’s sudden appearance reignited speculation of a covert operation, drawing millions into a digital whirlwind of satellite image analysis and geopolitical theorising

India has categorically denied carrying out any strikes on Pakistan’s nuclear facilities, including the long-rumoured site at Kirana Hills. Yet, curiosity around the location has surged online after a rare US surveillance aircraft, typically deployed in nuclear emergencies, was spotted flying near Pakistani airspace. The aircraft’s sudden appearance reignited speculation of a covert operation, drawing millions into a digital whirlwind of satellite image analysis, aircraft tracking, and geopolitical theorising.

At the heart of this unfolding drama on social media is the alleged sighting of a US B-350 AMS ‘Nuclear Emergency Response’ plane, the backdrop of India’s recent Operation Sindoor targeting terror hubs in Pakistan and PoK, and an enduring mystery surrounding a shadowy mountain range long suspected to conceal Pakistan’s nuclear secrets.

The B-350 AMS is no ordinary reconnaissance jet; operated by the US Department of Energy, it is dispatched only during nuclear emergencies, such as radiation leaks or unauthorised nuclear detonations. Its past deployments include disaster assessments after Japan’s Fukushima meltdown and various US test sites.

This aircraft’s sudden presence over Pakistan, visible on Flightradar24 under the tail number N111SZ, set social media ablaze. “Why is a nuclear probe plane in Pakistan?” users asked, with many claiming it confirmed rumours that India had launched a daring strike on strategic military targets deep inside Pakistani territory.

Indian airstrikes, which some online accounts say took place on May 12, reportedly targeted a wide network of military bases: Rafiqui Airbase in Shorkot, Noor Khan Base near Rawalpindi, the Murid installation in Chakwal, Rahimyar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunia. Radar facilities in Sialkot and Pasrur were said to have been hit, as well as Malir Cantonment in Karachi – all locations tied to Pakistan’s strategic defence grid.

But the most incendiary is the claim that one of the targets included the Kirana Hills, a cluster of ridges near Sargodha long whispered about in defence circles. Analysts and journalists have speculated for years that Pakistan maintains underground bunkers in Kirana Hills for nuclear storage. The proximity of Mushaf Airbase, itself reportedly damaged in the Indian airstrike, only added fuel to the fire.

Pakistan, notably, has remained silent. There has been no official acknowledgment from the Pakistani military or government, further deepening the mystery. But media reports in the US, including one from The New York Times, cited unnamed former officials who suggested that Pakistan may have reached out to the US in a bid to prevent any strikes on its nuclear command structure.

The involvement of the US has led to even more confusion. While the B-350 AMS is a known American asset, some claims now allege that the aircraft was transferred to Pakistan in 2010 and has been operating under Pakistani military control ever since. Photographs dating back to 2015 show a similar aircraft bearing Pakistani Army markings, though there has been no official confirmation of its current ownership.

So, what prompted the plane’s recent flight? If there was no attack, no nuclear accident, and no radiation leak – why was a nuclear-detection aircraft, American or otherwise, flying near Pakistan’s most sensitive areas?

This question remains unanswered. But the online sphere has filled the vacuum. Satellite images, unverified footage, conspiracy theories, and geopolitical analyses are circulating by the thousands, feeding a narrative of covert conflict that officialdom refuses to acknowledge.

First Published:

May 16, 2025, 15:17 IST