Russians Create Aircraft for Use in Nuclear War

A management aircraft is being developed in Voronezh based on the large fuselage Il-96-400M. The information is reported by RIA Novosti, citing a source from the defense industry.

The Russian Aerospace Forces will receive two airborne command posts based on the Il-96-400M. The production of one is currently underway,” the report states. In the future, the ordering of a third command post is not ruled out. The project is named “Zveno-3S.”

The aircraft's radio equipment will allow commands to be delivered to the troops, including strategic aviation, mobile and mineral launch sites, and submarines carrying strategic nuclear weapons, with a range of 6,000 kilometers. The “Doomsday” planes will replace the existing Il-80s, which were created based on the passenger Il-86.

The range of the new Il-96s will be twice as large compared to their predecessor. These aircraft are intended for the evacuation of the country's top leadership and troop management in case of destruction of ground and satellite infrastructure. The aircraft can be refueled in mid-air, and they are escorted by fighters during the flight.