Aerial command post, based on Il-96-400 airliner, was handed over to the representatives of the ministry of defense (MoD RF) on the Voronezh airbase.

According to the request of ministry of defense of Russian federation, the wide-body cargo airliner was transformed into airborne communication center. In the peace time, it will be used for business trips of high-ranking officials of the ministry. These aircraft are also dubbed “the doomsday aircraft”, due to their task to provide line of communication in case of nuclear attack. Il-96-400 in its military version is able to cruise in the sky for several days, if regularly refueled. Also, the same Il-96-400 can be transformed into air-refueling tanker. It is designed to carry 92 tons of cargo or 65 tons of jet fuel over the distance of 3500 km. MoD RF has expressed its interest in buying such modified aircraft, as a substitution for older Il-78 air tankers.

Il-96-400 is modification of civil airliner Il-96-300 with longer fuselage, bigger wingspan and more powerful engines. It is manufactured by “PAO VASO” in Voronezh.