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This aircraft has the same function as the US Air Force E-4B, which is a strategic air command post in the event of a nuclear conflict.
Exactly when the robbery happened. According to the RIA Novosti news agency, on December 7, the Il-80 under maintenance was penetrated by a thief and stole “a radio device.”
The report says that the theft occurred when the plane was parked at an airport in the Rostov region, so the exact location was likely at the Beriev Company facilities in the city of Taganrog, on the Azov coast.
In addition to designing and manufacturing aircraft, the Beriev Company is also responsible for outfitting and upgrading equipment for various other special aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces.
Russian Il-80 plane. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The police worked with a representative of the Beriev Company. A spokesman for the Interior Ministry confirmed that it is investigating the theft.
This Il-80 belongs to the Maxdom Squadron stationed at the Chkalovsky Air Base near Moscow. Operating this squadron is a specialized air command unit under the National Defense Management Center of the Russian General Staff.
There are currently four Il-80 aircraft in service. In the event of an all-out war, the Il-80 will mobilize to carry the Russian president.
The Il-80 provides more complete protection for the President from the effects of a nuclear explosion. From the plane, the president can order the launch of ICBMs or make other important decisions.
It is not difficult to understand that the authorities have not revealed exactly what kind of “radio device” was stolen from the Il-80. However, some speculation suggests that the thieves are only taking equipment to sell scrap metal.
However, even if the theft involves non-sensitive equipment, having an intruder on the plane is considered a key strategic asset in the nation’s nuclear deterrence, it still makes people we can’t help but worry about an alarming security hole.
And yet, according to The Drive, the theft also raises many questions about the level of security at Russia’s air bases, especially those used for both civilian and military purposes.
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