US strike destroys Russian-made IL-76 transport aircraft at Iranian Kerman Airport.

Imagery released on March 12, 2026 indicates a U.S. strike targeted aircraft at Kerman Airport, including an Iranian Il-76 heavy cargo aircraft used for long-range military logistics missions.

U.S. Central Command released footage showing strikes on aircraft at Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani Airport in Kerman, southeastern Iran. Among the aircraft visible on the apron was an Iranian-operated Ilyushin Il-76 heavy transport aircraft used for long-range military logistics missions. Additional aircraft present included a Lockheed C-130 Hercules and a P-3F Orion patrol aircraft.
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Iranian Il-76 aircraft are primarily used for heavy cargo transport and troop movement across the country, as their large internal cargo hold and rear loading ramp allow them to transport armored vehicles, artillery, or engineering equipment. (Picture source: CENTCOM)

On March 12, 2026, the U.S. Central Command released footage of strikes against Iranian aircraft located at Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani Airport in Kerman, southeastern Iran, including a Russian-designed Ilyushin Il-76 strategic airlifter used within Iran’s military logistics network. The imagery shows several aircraft positioned on the apron when the strike occurred, among them a Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport aircraft and a Lockheed P-3 Orion patrol aircraft operated by Iran as the P-3F variant. Initial reactions focused on markings visible on the Il-76 vertical stabilizer, which in low-resolution imagery appeared similar to the Russian tricolor. Subsequent examination of the aircraft paint scheme and cockpit markings indicated the aircraft carried Iranian national insignia. The aircraft, therefore, appears to have been an Iranian-operated Il-76 heavy transport aircraft used for long-range cargo transport missions.

The Il-76, developed by the Soviet Ilyushin design bureau, is a four-engine heavy jet transport aircraft designed to move large cargo loads over long distances and operate from austere airfields. The aircraft conducted its first flight on March 25, 1971, and entered operational service in June 1974 with Soviet forces. Production was concentrated at the Tashkent Aviation Production Association in present-day Uzbekistan, where more than 900 aircraft were built across multiple variants. The aircraft uses a high wing configuration combined with a T tail and four turbofan engines, enabling operations from rough or semi-prepared runways. This configuration allows large engines and landing gear to be mounted high above the ground, reducing foreign object damage risks. The aircraft’s cargo compartment and rear ramp system allow the transport of oversized cargo, vehicles, and heavy engineering equipment. The design was originally intended to support logistics operations across remote regions of the Soviet Union, including Siberia and Arctic territories.

In its baseline military transport configuration, the Il-76MD has a payload capacity of roughly 40 to 47 tonnes, depending on configuration and fuel load. The aircraft has a maximum takeoff weight of about 170 tonnes and is powered by four Soloviev D-30KP turbofan engines producing about 12,000 kgf of thrust each. Typical cruise speed ranges between 750 and 800 km/h with operational ranges approaching 5,000 km when carrying heavy cargo loads. The cargo compartment measures about 24.5 meters in length, with a width of about 3.45 meters and a height of roughly 3.4 meters. The floor is reinforced and includes tie-down points designed to secure armored vehicles, artillery pieces, or engineering machinery. Internal equipment includes roller conveyors and overhead hoists, allowing cargo weighing several tonnes to be repositioned during loading. These structural features allow the aircraft to move large military systems that cannot be transported by smaller aircraft such as the C-130.

Iran operates several Il-76 aircraft in both military and dual-use cargo configurations because sanctions limit access to Western heavy airlift aircraft such as the C-17 or A400M. Within Iran’s logistics structure, the Il-76 provides long-distance transport of heavy equipment, including armored vehicles, missile components, engineering machinery, and large containers. Aircraft in the Il-76TD cargo configuration incorporate extended fuel capacity and engines optimized for long-range transport missions. These aircraft maintain payload capacities close to 48,000 kg and cargo volumes near 180 cubic meters. The aircraft’s rugged landing gear uses multiple wheel bogies designed to distribute weight across rough airstrips. Combined with full span leading edge slats and double slotted flaps, the aircraft can operate from relatively short runways or semi-prepared surfaces. This capability supports logistics operations to remote airfields or forward operating bases across mountainous or desert terrain.

One unusual adaptation of the Il-76 within Iranian service was the Simorgh airborne early warning conversion program derived from an Iraqi aircraft. During the 1980s, Iraq modified several Il-76MD aircraft under the Adnan-2 project to create airborne early warning aircraft equipped with radar installed inside a dorsal rotodome. The radar originally installed on the Iraqi aircraft was the French TRS-2105 Tiger-G system designed for long-range airborne surveillance. During the 1991 Gulf War, several Iraqi aircraft flew to Iran to avoid destruction, including one Il-76 configured for airborne radar operations. Iranian engineers later modified the aircraft by integrating a domestically developed radar system within the rotodome structure. The aircraft entered operational service in April 2008 under the name Simorgh and served as Iran’s first airborne early warning aircraft derived from the Il-76 airframe. Estimates suggested the radar system could detect airborne targets at distances approaching 1000 km.

The Simorgh program ended on September 22, 2009, when the aircraft collided in flight with an Iranian fighter aircraft during a military exercise. The accident destroyed the aircraft and eliminated Iran’s only Il-76-based airborne early warning capability. Following this loss, the remaining Il-76 aircraft in Iranian service continued operating primarily as heavy cargo transports. These aircraft are used for logistics missions including troop transport, equipment transfers, and humanitarian cargo delivery. Modular seating systems allow the cargo compartment to be configured for troop transport, while pallet systems allow rapid loading of standardized cargo containers. The aircraft’s ability to carry vehicles or large engineering equipment remains particularly valuable for operations requiring rapid logistical movement across long distances.

Maintaining the Iranian Il-76 fleet presents significant challenges because many airframes were produced during the 1980s and sanctions restrict access to spare parts and manufacturer support. Iran has developed a sustainment structure combining domestic overhaul facilities, spare part recovery from grounded aircraft and procurement through international aviation networks. Civilian cargo airlines connected to military logistics networks operate Il-76TD aircraft and perform maintenance at Tehran Mehrabad Airport. Maintenance programs focus on structural inspections of the wing box, overhaul of the four turbofan engines, and refurbishment of avionics systems. Iranian technicians have gradually developed the capability to conduct these procedures domestically without direct manufacturer assistance. Despite aging airframes and supply constraints, the Il-76 remains the primary aircraft capable of transporting heavy cargo within Iran’s long-range military logistics network.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.