Russia building 2 new ‘Doomsday’ planes following Putin’s order
Fox News
Russian President Vladimir Putin has directed the construction of two new so-called “Doomsday” planes that would function as command and control centers in the event of a devastating nuclear conflict.
The state-run news agency RIA-Novosti reported Monday that construction on the first of the two aircraft is underway in the central Russian city of Voronezh. The report noted that the construction of a third aircraft is also a possibility. The new planes will be modified Ilyushin Il-96 airliners and replace the existing Doomsday Ilyushin Il-80s, which have been in service since the late 1980s. RIA Novosti reported that the new planes are expected to have twice the flight range of their predecessors and will enable the Kremlin’s top brass to give orders to land-based, submarine and airborne nuclear missile launchers within a range of more than 3,700 miles.More Related News