Russia reportedly received next-gen "Doomsday Plane"

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World Defense & Security News - Russia
 
 
Russia reportedly received next-gen "Doomsday Plane"
 
The Voronezh Aircraft Plant (Russian acronym: VASO, a subsidiary of the United Aircraft Corporation, OAK) has delivered the Ilyushin Il-96-400-based aerial control post to the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD), according to media outlets.
     
Russia reportedly received next gen Doomsday Plane 640 001The new Il-96-400-based airborne command post made its maiden flight in April 2016
(Credit: Sergei Pugachev / russianplanes.net)
     
The aforementioned aircraft is supposed to be stationed at the Chkalovsky airbase (Moscow Region) along with the other aircraft of such type. Previously, the Russian MoD was reported to get an aerial control station that would significantly vary from standard aerial command-and-control (C2) posts.

In 2015, the Director General of the United Instrument Manufacturing Corporation (Russian acronym: OPK, a subsidiary of the Rostec state corporation), Alexander Yakunin told TASS that Russia would develop the third generation of aerial C2 posts within five to seven years. The OPK`s official pointed out that the posts would be based on the Ilyushin Il-96-400 airliner.

The Russian "Doomsday planes" fleet is operated by the 8th Special Purpose Aviation Division, based at Chkalovsky Airport.

In August 2014, VASO signed a $21mn contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense for the manufacturing of a third airborne command post based on the Il-96-400T. The aircraft first flight took place on April 8, 2016.

The upgraded aircraft, "RA-96102", is equipped with SBUS-96-400 special onboard unit connection system designed by JSC "Moscow Research Institute of Radio".

     
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