Russia Quietly Turned Its Failed Boeing 777X Rival Into A Nuclear Doomsday Plane

Russia appears to be repurposing elements of its long-running Il-96 program as a special-operations and VIP platform, after attempts to restart widebody production stalled. The Soviet-era Il-96 first flew in 1988 and entered service with Aeroflot in 1992, but only a few dozen were built, largely for the Russian Air Force as government aircraft. Plans to modernize it into the Il-96-400M gained momentum in the 2010s, yet sanctions that boosted demand also hurt the program. According to Planespotters.net, 34 Il-96s were produced between 1992 and now: three prototypes scrapped, one preserved, one written off, and one unfinished—leaving roughly 28 airframes, with 17 active and eight stored. Russia is also said to be considering additional modified aircraft, though details are unclear.