SOURCE: AFI
On May 10, 2025, a U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) aircraft, identified by the registration N111SZ and hex code A03192, was tracked rushing to a nuclear storage facility in Pakistan. The aircraft, a Beechcraft B350, was deployed in the wake of a series of precision strikes by India on multiple Pakistani military and nuclear sites, including Nur Khan, Sargodha, Jacobabad, Bholari, and Kirana Hills. These strikes, which occurred on May 9, 2025, were aimed at neutralizing Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities, escalating tensions in an already volatile region.
Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 shows the DoE plane operating in the Lahore Flight Information Region (FIR), with coordinates at latitude 33.53584 and longitude 73.0565, near Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The aircraft was flying at a ground speed of 150 knots (true airspeed 132 knots, indicated airspeed 125 knots) and a Mach speed of 0.196, as reported at 08:39 UTC on May 11, 2025. The plane’s squawk code was 2063, and its ICAO 24-bit address matched the hex code A03192, confirming its identity.
The Indian military operation targeted key Pakistani airbases and the Kirana Hills, a suspected nuclear storage site, in a clear attempt to dismantle Pakistan’s nuclear deterrence. Analysts suggest that India’s strikes were strategically planned to render Pakistan’s nuclear option ineffective amid heightened geopolitical tensions. The involvement of the U.S. DoE, which oversees nuclear security and non-proliferation efforts, indicates serious international concern over the stability of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal following the attacks.
Critics argue that the U.S. intervention may have prematurely halted India’s efforts to decisively neutralize the threat posed by Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities. Some regional experts believe that allowing India to “finish the job” could have reshaped the power dynamics in South Asia, potentially reducing the long-term risk of nuclear conflict. However, the DoE’s rapid response underscores Washington’s priority to secure nuclear materials and prevent them from falling into unstable hands, especially in a region teetering on the brink of further escalation.
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