WATCH: US 'Doomsday Plane' lands in Cebu with Hegseth aboard

MANILA, Philippines — United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth arrived at Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Lapu-Lapu City on Tuesday night, October 27, for meetings with Southeast Asian defense officials.

Hegseth arrived aboard a Boeing E-4B Nightwatch, a specialized US Air Force aircraft known as the "Doomsday Plane" because it can serve as an airborne command center during a national emergency.

The US official is expected to meet defense officials from across the region as the Philippines seeks to deepen its defense alliance with Washington, particularly in military modernization and capability-building.

Hegseth is expected to spend less than 24 hours in Cebu before returning to Washington, D.C.