The Mad Maxdome
Dr. Strangelove flight of the week.
Back in the USSR. Boys with toys, again.
Excerpted from Popular Mechanics 12.10.2020
- Thieves broke into a Russian military Il-80 transport plane and made off with more than three dozen pieces of communications equipment.
- The Il-80 is specially designed to carry Russia’s president and general staff during a nuclear war, keeping them safe.
- The jet is also designed to allow Russia’s leadership to maintain secure communications with its nuclear forces.
A Russian military aircraft designed to allow the country’s leadership to survive and fight a nuclear war has been crippled, the victim of a particularly brazen burglary. Thieves stole 39 pieces of communications equipment from the Ilyushin Il-80 aircraft, nicknamed “Maxdome” by NATO.
The incident took place at the Beriev Taganrog Aviation Scientific and Technical Complex, outside the Russian city of Rostov. Inspectors noticed an open hatch leading inside the plane and soon discovered the equipment was missing.
The Ilyushin Il-80 strategic airborne command post is a modified Il-86 widebody passenger jet converted for military use. Four airplanes were converted, with one reserved for use by the Russian president. The remaining three planes belong to Special Air Group Rossiya and are meant to carry members of the Russian General Staff.
The incident took place at the Beriev Taganrog Aviation Scientific and Technical Complex, outside the Russian city of Rostov. Inspectors noticed an open hatch leading inside the plane and soon discovered the equipment was missing.
The Ilyushin Il-80 strategic airborne command post is a modified Il-86 widebody passenger jet converted for military use. Four airplanes were converted, with one reserved for use by the Russian president. The remaining three planes belong to Special Air Group Rossiya and are meant to carry members of the Russian General Staff.
Lee's Perspective 