E-4 Nightwatch Vs Il-80 Maxdome: How Do The World’s 2 ‘Doomsday’ Planes Compare?

The United States and Russia both possess rare strategic command and control military aircraft dubbed ‘doomsday’ planes designed to be used in case of emergency (like a nuclear strike). The US possesses four Boeing E-4 “Nightwatch” aircraft, while Russia has three Ilyushin Il-80 (NATO reporting name “Maxdome”) aircraft based on the Ilyushin Il-86 airliner. These aircraft are intended to be used as an airborne command center for high-ranking government officials (such as the respective presidents) in the event of nuclear war.