Breaking news
Russia eyes acquisition of up to 200 new Il-76MD-90A airlifters.
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World Aviation Defense & Security News - Russia
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Russia eyes acquisition of up to 200 new Il-76MD-90A airlifters
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Commander of Russian Military Transport Aviation (MTA) Lt. Gen. Vladimir Benediktov, at a meeting with the team of the Aviastar-SP Ulyanovsk Aircraft Plant, outlined plans for deliveries of a total of 150-200 new Il-76MD-90A aircraft for MTA that Aviastar-SP can fulfill in cooperation with the subcontractors, Aviastar-SP’s press service reported.
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 A RusAF Il-76MD-90A military airlifter at MAKS 2017 airshow |
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According to Benediktov, the latest Ilyushin planes have demonstrated a high degree of reliability and efficient operation under extreme conditions. "The aircraft has shown its capabilities: its effectiveness is much higher, 25-30% over the baseline aircraft. Today we are mastering these aircraft with great pleasure and are waiting for the follow-on models to enter service," said the MTA commander.
Benediktov noted the MTA is very interested in the modernized Il-78M-90A refueling aircraft. "We really need it, too because its increased capabilities will enable long-range strategic aviation to solve wider range missions. Our strategic bombers will be anywhere and at any time to accomplish their missions. All this will depend on your team," the MTA commander explained. Answering a question about the Ministry of Defense’s current requirements for military transport aviation, Benediktov noted the enormous scope of tasks: "The workload on the flight crew is very high, the total flying time is 1.5-2 times longer compared with the Soviet era." Alexey Rogozin, Vice-President of UAC and CEO of Ilyshin Aircraft Company, noted the importance of direct dialogue between the MTA Command and aircraft builders. He also pointed out that Aviastar-SP is the primary production association for UAC’s transport aircraft division. As of November 2016, four Il-76MD-90As have been delivered to the customer. It is expected that a contract to supply the Russian Ministry of Defense with 39 Il-76MD-90A aircraft will be implemented by 2024. Production of the aircraft is carried out at Aviastar-SP’s production site in Ulyanovsk. Up to 10 aircraft are currently in production in various degrees of completion. The II-76MD-90A is a heavily upgraded version of the II-76 aircraft (NATO reporting name: Candid). Its new integrated flight and navigation system, automatic flight control system and communication system improve flight safety, navigation and airdrop accuracy. The latest version of the well-known military transport aircraft features new equipment, including a "glass cockpit", PS-90A-76 present-day engines, a modified wing and a reinforced landing gear. The Il-78M-90A refueling aircraft is being developed around the II-76MD-90A, and an electronic warfare version may emerge in the future. |
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