Item #: SCP-2326
Object Class: Keter
Special Containment Procedures: The source of SCP-2326-1 instances is currently unknown. Removal of the source of instances of SCP-2326-1 is ongoing. Containment currently focuses on eliminating SCP-2326-1 instances in 2326-Tango events. Detachments of interceptor aircraft in squadron strength as well as ground and air search radars sited at Sites 7, 18, 24, and GOC sites listed in Joint Document 2326-776 will attempt to detect and intercept SCP-2326-1 instances whenever 2326-Tango events occur. Additional undercover detachments in the armed forces of NATO and former Warsaw Pact members are tasked with masking SCP-2326-1 instances from air-search radars or otherwise establishing them as nonexistent contacts. Ideally, 2326-Tango events should be classified as scheduled large aircraft flights or coincide with planned monitoring downtime for maintenance or testing.
Ideally, Foundation and GOC forces should be sufficient to intercept SCP-2326-1 instances outside of densely populated areas. In the case that joint Foundation/GOC forces are out of action or otherwise insufficient, defense forces of nations targeted should only be alerted as a last resort.
All wreckage should be recovered under the guise of a technical failure in a military exercise. Surviving instances of SCP-2326-3 should be recovered for questioning, but neutralized should recovery become impossible. neutralized immediately. Surviving instances are unable to answer relevant questions.
Foundation Site 2326-A is sited at a derelict radar station on the outskirts of Tula, Russia. A research group of Foundation researchers should work to restore SCP-2326-2 to working order to remove the threat that 2326-Tango events pose.
Description: Instances of SCP-2326-1 appear to be Handley Page Victor strategic bombers, outfitted for strategic bombing. Instances of SCP-2326-1 confirmed to be carefully reverse engineered Handley Page Victors of Soviet origin, escorted by Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 multirole fighters. Instances have markings consistent with RAF aircraft in 1975. Radiological testing indicates that 60% of instances carry tactical nuclear weapons ranging in size from 10 to 75 kilotons.
Air crews will attempt to respond to radio hails from interceptor aircraft, but audio received from flight crews is heavily distorted and mostly unintelligible, and have been otherwise unable to comply with Foundation requests. When approached using ICAO interception signalling, aircraft will respond with 'cannot comply' and continue on course. See Interview Log 2326-1.
Groups of SCP-2326-1 in flight strength will spontaneously appear over the North Atlantic at 16,000 m. Such appearances are termed 2326-Tango events. Instances will attempt to fly toward Warsaw Pact industrial centers, major military bases, and other strategic locations. It is presumed that instances of SCP-2326-1 will attempt to destroy these cities with their payloads.
Projections suggest that if one target is destroyed, there is a 68% chance of the resulting political situation escalating into an XK-class scenario.
Flights of SCP-2326-1 also have the following characteristics:

Approximately 16% of instances will suffer a mechanical failure and crash of their own accord.
In 5% of 2326-Tango events, MiG-29 escort fighters will shoot down their Victor counterparts, and otherwise resume course.
Instances often fly erratically, yawing or turning in circles several times before returning on course.

Site 2326-A was originally a control facility carefully disguised as a radar site. At some point after [REDACTED], it fell into disrepair until it was restored as a Foundation site after the discovery of its association with 2326-Tango events from rediscovered GRU 'P' Division documents. It contains the remains of a previously unknown variation of the Elbrus-3 computer linked to a Dnestr radar array, designated SCP-2326-2, as well as the remains of a GRU 'P' Division research site. Based on partial recovered documentation, the currently non-functioning network is the control mechanism for SCP-2326-1 instances, and currently in the active mode with no way to return the system to an inactive state. Work to restore functionality is ongoing.
Recovery Log: GOC forces requested assistance in containing SCP-2326-1 instances, which they claim to have been containing and attempting to destroy since 1975. They did not cite a reason for involving the Foundation. Link to SCP-2326-2 discovered in 2000 with the recovery of GRU 'P' Division archives. Inconsistencies discovered between GRU 'P' records and GOC timeline. See Internal Document 2326-1 - Request for Assistance and Internal Document 2326-2 - Timeline of Events.

+ Interview Log 2326-1 Level 3/2326 Clearance Required

- Authenticated

Agent Vorolov was chosen due to his familiarity with Warsaw Pact aircraft and flight procedures.
Foreword: Communication established on 243 MHz, the primary aircraft emergency band.
Agent Vorolov: ██████████, this is Major Vorolov of the 324th Fighter Air Division of the VVS. Your aircraft and the rest of the squadron has been recalled to [Site 24]. Turn back at once.
SCP-2326-1: [unintelligible]…n-pan we're curr…[unintelligible] …ierencing command a…[unintelligible]..trol difficu… [unintelligible].
Agent Vorolov: Turn back at immediately, or we will be forced to shoot you down.
SCP-2326-1: [unintelligible]…ation offline. Canno…[unintelligible]…lter orders with…[unintelligible]…ystem verificati…
Vorolov at this point activated the seeker heads on the AAMs attached to his aircraft.
Agent Vorolov: System verification?
SCP-2326-1: [unintelligible]…ct out…[unintelligible]…la…[unintelligible]…tivated on ██/██/████, we ca…[unintelligible]…ss the system…[unintelligible]..set.
Agent Vorolov: Repeat, I can hardly understand what you are saying.
SCP-2326-1: [SCP-2326-1's voice, despite the distortion, becomes noticeably distressed] Plea…[unintelligible]…t off. We've been flyi…[unintelligible]…nce it got activ…[unintelligible]..t hurts so ba…[unintelligible]..n't feel anythi..[unintelligible]…
Agent Vorolov: Where can we turn off-?
SCP-2326-1: [SCP-2326-1's voice begins screaming] Please shoot u…[unintelligible]…shoot us dow…[unintelligible]…ill us we can't do it…[unintelligible]
Agent Vorolov received approval to shoot down the aircraft. SCP-2326-1 instance was downed into the North Atlantic without incident.

+ Internal Document 2326-1 Request for Assistance Level 3/2326 Clearance Required

- Authenticated

Our forces are no longer sufficient to prevent a catastrophic scenario should unforeseen circumstances arise. Ideally we should be able to neutralize the anomaly when it occurs, but it's better to be prepared. All documentation we have gathered has been delivered via courier to the prearranged drop point.

Delivered documentation formed the basis of this document, but contained no mention of SCP-2326-2, only that of the existence, actions, and characteristics of SCP-2326-1 instances.

+ Internal Document 2326-2 Timeline of Events Level 4/2326 Clearance Required

- Authenticated

██/██/1972: GRU 'P' division creates Operation Silver, a false flag operation designed to attack Warsaw Pact cities with conventional aerial bombing to generate sympathy and for a proper casus belli for war against the West.
██/██/1978: Operation Silver is operational. A secondary function for use in a nuclear second strike is implemented - via anomalous means strategic bombers will be deployed against the west in infinite numbers as long as the deactivation code remains unbroadcasted - even if the system goes offline. Intended to be used in conjunction with Dead Hand.
06/██/1991: With the collapse of the Soviet Union imminent, hardline GRU 'P' Divison leaders activate the false-flag function of the Silver Apparatus with the intention of using war to keep the Union together. However, GOC forces are able to neutralize the bombers and the Soviet Union collapses later that year.
██/██/1993: GOC forces discover the link to SCP-2326-2 and attempt to disable the facility. System malfunctions and enters both its false-flag and infinite state, triggering the intermittent occurrence of 2326-Tango events.
██/██/1997: GOC forces request assistance with containment. Existence of SCP-2326-2 is not disclosed.
██/██/2000: Foundation discovers Site 2326-A and its link to SCP-2326-1.

+ Internal Document 2326-3 State of Repairs Level 4/2326 Clearance Required

- Authenticated

Date: ██/██/2000 (project start)
Notes: The GOC really did a number on this place. Whatever is left of the controlling system is in pieces - we'll have to reverse engineer it from what's left and the GRU 'P' division documentation. I've placed Dr. Avery in charge of Signals Analysis and Dr. Jameson in charge of System Analysis. Between us, the schematics, and what's left here, we ought to be at least reverse engineer the system. Reestablishing connection with SCP-2326-1 is going to be the real test.

Date ██/██/2001 (15 months after project start)
Notes: Well, we've pieced together what exactly has occurred in the system, and why it's acting the way it is. When the GOC wrecked this, it was operating in FF mode - that is, the mode where conventional bombers hit the Warsaw Pact. When the GOC came in, the functioning mode switched to a glitchy halfway mode before it went completely offline. That's why we've got MiG-29s escorting Victors, and all the other bizarre behavior. It's going to be a while before we have our replacement SCP-2326-2 functioning. We've still got a decade or two of operating data to work with - with any luck, we can turn the whole thing off and reclassify it Safe.

Date ██/██/2003 (30 months after project start)
Notes: SCP-2326-2 construction on schedule. The hard part is going to be reprogramming the operating system - there aren't very many Elbrus-3 still around, and this one is like no variant I've ever seen. We're playing a very dangerous game here - randomly editing the process that governs an out of control nuclear bomber force is a gamble of last resort.1

Date ██/██/2008 (90 months after project start)
Notes: Well, SCP-2326-2 is up and running - thank God we found the source code in the archives. SCP-2326 instances see our system, but they won't connect. They can't verify that we're the actual SCP-2326-2 system and without that we can't change parameters or turn it off. We have the proper authentication codes and everything. Seven and half years and this whole effort seems to be just another dead end.2

Footnotes
1. The full source code and documentation was later recovered in 2007.
2. Dr. Samonov requested the use of SCP-████ in the restoration of SCP-2326-2. Request is currently pending.

« SCP-2325 | SCP-2326 | SCP-2327 »