The Russian “Doomsday Plane” Flew From Tehran to China on the Eve of the U.S. Strikes

A Russian aircraft serving as an airborne command post flew to Tehran on the eve of U.S. strikes on targets in Iran.

According to the AirNav radar flight tracking system, a Tu-214PU with registration number RA-64531 arrived in Tehran on July 13 at 07:35 a.m. Kyiv time.

This visit took place before the start of the U.S. military operation, and the Russian aircraft’s stay in the Iranian capital was brief.

The Russian aircraft departed from Imam Khomeini International Airport at 07:08 p.m. The aircraft headed east and flew to Beijing, where it landed on July 14 at 02:25 a.m.

A few hours after the plane took off, the U.S. launched airstrikes. According to an official statement from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), U.S. forces launched a military operation on July 13 at approximately 11:45 p.m. Kyiv time.

The U.S. military operation lasted more than five hours and ended on July 14 at 05:15 a.m.

CENTCOM reported that forces struck military targets across Iran, including in Bushehr, Chabahar, Jask, Konarak, Abu Musa, and Bandar Abbas, to reduce the country’s ability to attack commercial vessels.

The recent incidents in the strait served as the trigger for the resumption of active hostilities. In particular, the UAE Ministry of Defense reported that Iranian cruise missiles struck two Emirati tankers in Omani territorial waters, killing one crew member and injuring eight others.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed that the oil tankers were struck because they allegedly ignored warnings.

The special aircraft RA-64531, which was in Tehran on the eve of these events, is a Tu-214PU command aircraft. Aircraft of this class are unofficially referred to as Doomsday planes because of their role in ensuring government communications during emergencies.

The aircraft was built at the S. P. Gorbunov Kazan Aviation Plant; it made its first flight on December 28, 2018, and in the summer of 2019, it was transferred to the Rossiya Special Flight Squadron.

The aircraft is equipped with relay systems, special encryption units, and satellite communication antennas to enable uninterrupted command and control of forces from anywhere in the world.