The Russian Ministry of Defense is planning a large order of modernized Il-76MD-90A military transport aircraft over the coming decade.
Speaking to journalists last week during a visit to Aviastar-SP, Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said that the Il-76MD-90A, a modernized version of the Il-76, “is the main aircraft in [the] Defense Ministry’s plans.” He added, “Potentially, the Defense Ministry plans to buy more than 100 aircraft, and this number grows if we add flying tankers produced on the basis of this plane.”
Alongside the modernized Il-76MD-90A is the Il-78M-90A, an aerial tanker variant of the aircraft.
In 2012, the Ministry of Defense signed an order with Aviastar-SP for the production of 39 Il-76MD-90As for the military. Last week, Ilyushin Aircraft Company confirmed that deliveries would begin this year, though Deputy Prime Minister Borisov has noted that the delivery schedule is behind by about three to four months. TASS reported that the Russian government has established a “special commission” to ensure that further delays are avoided.
Ilyushin said in a statement, “Under the 2019 production program, the Ulyanovsk-based aircraft-making enterprise plans to manufacture and deliver six Il-76MD-90A aircraft,” referring to Aviastar-SP, which is based in Ulyanovsk. Ilyushin’s statement noted, “Currently, the new transport plane is being accepted by the operator. Another plane with the factory No. 0110 is completing flight tests and is also being prepared for its delivery.”
The first of these aircraft should arrive before the end of March.
Military markets analyst, covering Eurasia, Middle East, and Africa.
