Ilyushin Il-80

Summary

Description

The Ilyushin Il-80, designated Maxdome by NATO (also referred to as Camber), and known within Russia as Aimak, was conceived as an airborne command and control center. It is heavily modified from the Ilyushin Il-86 airliner, with all examples converted from retired Aeroflot Il-86 airframes. The aircraft serves a similar role to the Boeing E-4B, providing a platform for Russian officials, including the President, to direct military operations, especially in the event of nuclear war. Development involved a first flight reportedly in the summer of 1985 from Pridacha Airport in Voronezh. The first post-modification flight occurred on March 5, 1987, with deliveries commencing later that year. Four Il-86s were ultimately converted into the Il-80 configuration, bearing registrations CCCP-86146 through 86149. These aircraft were first observed by western photographers in 1992.

Heavily modified from the standard Ilyushin Il-86, the Il-80 design lacks external windows, save for those in the cockpit, to provide shielding for the interior from nuclear blasts and electromagnetic pulses. Unique to the configuration, only the upper deck forward door on the left side and the aft door on the right side remain from the standard Il-86 layout. An unusual baffle is installed, blocking the aft cockpit windows, potentially intended to counter EMP or RF pulses. Distinguishing features include two large electrical generator pods mounted inboard of the engine nacelles, each approximately 9.5 meters long and 1.3 meters in diameter, which incorporate landing lights. The Il-80 is equipped with a dorsal SATCOM canoe, believed to house advanced satellite communications equipment, and a trailing wire antenna mounted in the lower aft fuselage for VLF radio transmission and reception, likely facilitating communication with ballistic missile submarines.

Upon completion, all four Il-80s were delivered to the 8th Special Purposes Aviation Division at Chkalovsky Airbase near Moscow. As of 2011, three Il-80s remained in service, painted in the classic Aeroflot livery and carrying international civilian registrations RA-86147, RA-86148, and RA-86149. The first Il-80 airframe, registration RA-86146, has been photographed without engines and is apparently out of service. Based at Chkalovsky Airbase, located 30 km northeast of Moscow, the aircraft are rarely observed in operation, though at least one example was seen at an air show. In December 2020, Russian media reported that radio communication equipment had been stolen from one of the Il-80s while it was undergoing maintenance.

Main Variants:

• Il-80: The primary airborne command and control platform, heavily modified from the Il-86 airliner to serve as an airborne command center for key Russian officials during a nuclear conflict.

• Il-86VKP: An alternative designation for the Il-80, emphasizing its role as a Vozdushniy Komandniy Punkt (Airborne Command Post).

• Modified Il-86: Refers to the standard Il-86 airliners which were extensively reworked to create the Il-80, involving significant structural and equipment changes.

Technical specifications

Current operating countries

Country		Units
	Russia	3

Numbers in parentheses, e.g. '(+5)', indicate units ordered but not yet delivered.

All operators

Russia • Ex-USSR

Photo of Il-80