Although large scale facilities (research labs and high tech manufacturing facilities) in the Sixth World that are home to either the development of new technology, or employ proprietary technology in manufacturing operations, are necessarily fixed locations-would leaders feel constrained by the same circumstances?

Note: This is an outgrowth of the Underground Complexes thread. I started this because I thought it might be off topic for that thread.

Despite the claims of their engineers and supporters, no facility can be constructed that is really proof (or even resistant) against a nuclear attack. Also, getting in and out of a secured facility when the surrounding area has been contaminated with chemical or biological agents, or is radioactive, is a difficult process to effect safely-a problem if the agents in question are persistent. Long before the development of the advanced technology that is present in Shadowrun (which says nothing of magic of course), defense planers recognized this to be ultimately the case, which lead to aircraft like the USAF E4 and the Russian Il-80

So, my question is, despite the fact that advanced research and manufacturing facilities are good candidates for moving to underground sites, do you think that the leaders of the mega-corps would do the same, or would they take to the skys (and look for someplace safe to land when that option presents itself, the current emergency strategy employed by those world leaders whos countries have the resources to fund it)?

AFE

Could this really not have just been folded into the "underground bunkers and complexes" thread?

The things that I would think would be of concern would be mostly related to aircraft-protecting them against attack (emp, magic, missiles, lasers, etc...), overflight and landing rights in a balkanized world, in-flight-refueling, how communications between an aircraft, satellites, and ground infrastructure work in the era of the matrix, etc.... Different from those items of primary interest to underground facilities, with potentially large populations stuck underground for a long time as there primary problem. Also, there are so many nasty things in the air in the sixth world (Dragons and other Awakened creatures, Elementals and Spirits, etc...), and adapting the aircraft/drone rules to account for the hyper-sophisticated military/commercial airline aircraft is the deep (and seldom used) end of the Shadowrun rules pool, that this is a tricky area (at least for me) to navigate, without introducing rules/plot holes/inconsistencies.

Given that it is a separate set of issues, and that some of the posts on this forum can be both technical, and contentious, regarding the details, it seemed like a good idea to start a separate post-assuming it generates any replies at all.

As another side note: I am thinking about running a game where the players are contracted by a Mega-Corp to infiltrate the type of aircraft mentioned here belonging to a smaller corp that they have target for a hostile take over (i.e. a AAA planing to take over an AA corp), and to plant surveillance equipment and explosives on said aircraft. Any thoughts on the security measures that would surround such aircraft, as well as ideas on how they would operate in the sixth world would be very well received by myself.

afe

Would an AA truly have the resources to fund something like one of these planes? As you yourself pointed out there is a lot involved in the whole thing. It isn't like jumping on a plane from Seattle to Korea. I just don't see anyone short of an AAA or a very few countries being able to pursue this option. Private planes, yes, but this, not so much.

As too the question about those that could afford it doing it, I think that would have more to do with an individual country or Mega-Corp than it would with all of them as a whole. If that makes any sense at all. Some might pursue it as an option and others would go the route of the bunker. It really lets it be in your hands, as the GM, so you can tailor your world to your taste.

Man, that really was a lame answer. I think I need a nap.