Ilyushin Il-76

Il-76
Aeroflot Ilyushin Il-76TD at Zurich Airport in May 1985.jpg
Il-76TD of Aeroflot at Zurich Airport in May 1985
Role Strategic airlifter
Manufacturer Tashkent Aviation Production Association
Designed by Ilyushin
First flight March 25 1971
Introduced June 1974[1]
Status Operational
Primary users Russian Air Force
Aeroflot
Chinese Air Force
Indian Air Force
Number built 960[2]
Variants Ilyushin Il-78
Beriev A-50
KJ-2000

The Ilyushin Il-76 (NATO reporting name: Candid) is a 4-engined strategic airlifter designed in the Soviet Union and in widespread use in Europe, Asia and Africa. Originally built for the military, the plane has subsequently seen extensive service as a commercial freighter, especially for the delivery of outsized or very heavy cargo. A water-carrying version of the plane has proven effective in fire-fighting operations in many countries. The Il-76 reportedly carries some 90% of ramp-delivered European airfreight and 90% of disaster relief aid worldwide. It is the most widely used dedicated jet freighter in the 40+ t. category.

Contents

Design and development

The aircraft was first conceived by Ilyushin in 1967 to meet a requirement for a freighter able to carry a payload of 40 tons (88,000 lb) over a range of 5,000 km (2,700 nautical miles; 3,100 statute miles) in less than six hours, able to operate from short and unprepared airstrips, and capable of coping with the worst weather conditions likely to be experienced in Siberia and the Soviet Union's Arctic regions. The Il-76's original design was influenced (at least in part) by the development of the US Lockheed C-141 Starlifter. Differences in design included an observation/navigation glazed nose, heavy duty landing gear, more powerful engines, slightly larger cargo hold and a defensive tail gun (military versions). It first flew on March 25, 1971.

Production of Il-76s was placed in Tashkent, Uzbekistan (then a republic of the Soviet Union). Some 860 of basic transport variants were made[3]. In 1990s modernized variants were developed (MF, TF), but were not produced in significant quantity due to financial problems of the major user, the Russian Air Force. The prototype of longer variant Il-76MF, with bigger capacity, first flew on 1 August 1995. The production ceased around 1997, and the factory since deteriorated. Some commercial aircraft were modernized to IL-76TD-90VD, starting from 2004, using new engines PS-90 to meet European noise limits[1]. In 2005, China ordered in Russia 34 new Il-76MD's and 4 tankers Il-78, and the factory in Tashkent completed 16 incomplete airframes. Production of the IL-76 at a new factory in Ulyanovsk in Russia, in cooperation with Tashkent works, is under consideration[3].

Operational history

Ilyushin Il-76MD of Iraqi Airways at Basle in 1984

First aircraft were delivered to the Soviet Air Force in June 1974[1]. It next became main Soviet strategic transport aircraft. From 1976 it was operated by the Aeroflot lines. Between 1979 and 1991, the Soviet Air Force Il-76s made 14,700 flights into Afghanistan, transporting 786,200 servicemen, and 315,800 tons of freight. The Il-76 carried 89% of Soviet troops and 74% of the freight that was airlifted.[4] Building on that experience, the bulk of the Canadian Forces equipment into Afghanistan is flown in using civilian Il-76[5]. As of 2006, the Russian Air Force had some 200 Il-76s, less than half airworthy, and civilian users in Russia have 108[3]. As of 2004, there were 177 civilian Il-76s in Russia[1].

1988 Maldives Coup

Also known as the Operation Cactus, on November 3, 1988, the Indian Air Force paratroopers were air dropped from IL-76 aircrafts in the islands of Maldives to foil an attempt to overthrow the government on the Republic Of Maldives after help was requested by the government of Maldives to India.

Hurricane Katrina

On August 29, 2005, the day before the levees of New Orleans gave way to the forces of Hurricane Katrina, the Russian Federation offered humanitarian aid to the United States. Two EMERCOM Il-76 aircraft landed at a disaster aid staging area at Little Rock, Arkansas September 8. This marks the first time Russia has flown such a mission to North America. A second Emergency Situations ministry Il-76 first-aid shipment, specially arranged with the U.S. leadership, departed Russia for Little Rock September 14.

India also used an Il-76 to deliver aid on September 13, 2005 for Katrina victims.

The Il-76 is also in use as an airborne tanker, otherwise known as a refueller (Il-78, some 50 were made[3]), and a waterbomber. Its airframe was used as a base for the Beriev A-50 'Mainstay' AWACS aircraft (some 25 were made[3]).

Variants

Prototypes and Development Variants

Military variants

An Il-76 in-service with the Indian Air Force

Civil variants

Ilyushin Il-76T

Foreign Variants

Il-76 Falcon

For the Indian Air Force. Hosts Falcon radar for AWACS and Aviadvigatel PS-90 engines[6].

Il-76MD tanker

Iraqui Air Force tanker conversions.

KJ-2000

Main article: KJ-2000

Domestic Chinese AWACS conversion of Il-76 after the setback of the A-50I.

The current KJ-2000 AWACS in Chinese service is equipped with a domestic Active Electronically Scanned Array active phased array radar system similar to the Swedish Ericsson's Erieye radar. The radar is designed by the Research Institute of Electronic Technology (also more commonly known as the 14th Institute) at Nanjing, and it utilizes the experience gained from the 14th Institute's earlier indigenously developed Type H/LJG-346 SAPARS (Shipborne Active Phased Array Radar System) that was completed in 1998 (the same Type H/LJG-346 SAPARS was also the predecessor of the active phased array radar system onboard PLAN Lanzhou class destroyer). Chinese claim that the domestic radar is superior to the Israeli radar and it can track more targets at greater range. The radar is arranged in the same way as that of A-50I.

CFTE Engine Testbed

China Flight Test Establishment (CFTE) currently operates a flying testbed converted from a Russian-made Il-76MD jet transport aircraft to serve as a flying testbed for future engine development programmes. The first engine to be tested on the aircraft is the WS-10A “Taihang” turbofan, currently being developed as the powerplant for China’s indigenous J-10 and J-11 fighter aircraft. The #76456 Il-76MD, acquired by the AVIC 1 from Russia in the 1990s, is currently based at CFTE’s flight test facility at Yanliang, Shaanxi Province.

Baghdad-1

Iraqi development with a radar mounted in the cargo hold, used in the Iran - Iraq war.

Baghdad-2

Iraqi development (with French assistance) with fibreglass-reinforced plastic radome over the antenna of the Thomson-CSF Tiger G surveillance radar with a maximum detection range of 189 nm (217.5 miles; 350 km). One was destroyed on the ground during the Gulf War but two others (Adnan-1 and Adnan-2) were flown to Iran where they remained, although it is not know if they are operational. [7] [8] It can be easily distinguished from the Beriev A-50 by having the IL-76 navigator windows in the nose, which the A-50 does not.

Operators

Present and ex-Il-76 operators. (Red=Military only Green=Civilian only Blue=Both)

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Ilyushin-76 of Algerian Air Force

Military and Civil operators in 38 countries have operated 850+ Il-76 in large numbers. While Russia is the largest military operator of the Il-76, followed by Ukraine and India, Belarus' TransAVIAexport Airlines is the largest civilian operator. In the list below, known current operators are listed in bold.

Flag of the United Nations.svg United Nations
Flag of Algeria.svg Algeria
Flag of Angola.svg Angola
Flag of Armenia.svg Armenia
Flag of Azerbaijan.svg Azerbaijan
Flag of Belarus.svg Belarus
Flag of Burkina Faso.svg Burkina Faso
Flag of the Central African Republic.svg Central African Republic
Flag of Cambodia.svg Cambodia
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China
Flag of the Republic of the Congo.svg Congo-Brazzaville
Flag of Cuba.svg Cuba
Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg Democratic Republic of the Congo
Flag of Equatorial Guinea.svg Equatorial Guinea
Flag of Hungary.svg Hungary
Flag of India.svg India
Flag of Iran.svg Iran
Flag of Iraq.svg Iraq
Flag of Kazakhstan.svg Kazakhstan
Flag of Kyrgyzstan.svg Kyrgyzstan
Flag of Laos.svg Laos – Lao People's Democratic Republic
Flag of Latvia.svg Latvia
Flag of Laos.svg Laos
Flag of Libya.svg Libya
Flag of Mali.svg Mali
Flag of Moldova.svg Moldova
Flag of North Korea.svg North Korea
Flag of Russia.svg Russia
Flag of Sao Tome and Principe.svg São Tomé and Príncipe
Flag of Serbia.svg Serbia
Flag of Sierra Leone.svg Sierra Leone
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Soviet Union
Flag of Sudan.svg Sudan
Flag of Syria.svg Syria
Flag of Turkmenistan.svg Turkmenistan
Flag of Ukraine.svg Ukraine
Flag of the United States.svg United States
Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg United Arab Emirates
Flag of Uzbekistan.svg Uzbekistan
Flag of Yemen.svg Yemen
Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Zimbabwe

Potential operators

Incidents and accidents

Specifications (Il-76D)

General characteristics

Performance

Armament

Some military models have 2 hardpoints under each outer wing capable of supporting 500 kg bombs.

See also

Related development

Comparable aircraft

Related lists

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Butowski, Piotr. Iliuszyn Ił-76 powraca. Lotnictwo nr. 9/2004, p.28-32 (Polish)
  2. [Ilyushin Il-76: Russia's Versatile Jet Freighter]
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Butowski, Piotr. Rosyjski kontrakt na Ił-76 i Ił-78 dla Chin. Lotnictwo nr. 1/2007, p.54-55 (Polish)
  4. [Ilyushin Il-76 Russia's Versatile Airlifter]
  5. Canadian Parliament Website
  6. Aviation and Aerospace
  7. GlobalSecurity.org
  8. AWACS and HawkeyesThe Complete History of Airborne Early Warning
  9. Airliners.net
  10. "Ilyushin Il-76 D2-FEM", AirTeamImages.com.
  11. "Air Congo Ilyushin Il-76", Airliners.net.
  12. "Ecuatorial Cargo Ilyushin Il-76TD", Airliners.net.
  13. "Atlant-Hungary Ilyushin Il-76TD", Airliners.net.
  14. "HUK - Hungarian Ukrainian Air Cargo Ilyushin Il-76TD", Airliners.net.
  15. "Atlas Air Ilyushin Il-76TD", Airliners.net.
  16. "Chabahar Air Ilyushin Il-76TD", Airliners.net.
  17. "Lease", Air Almaty
  18. "GST Aero Ilyushin Il-76T", Airliners.net.
  19. Airliners.net
  20. "Jamahiria Air Transport Ilyushin Il-76/78", Airliners.net.
  21. Jet Line
  22. "Air STAN Ilyushin Il-76", Airliners.net.
  23. "Moscow Airways Ilyushin Il-76", Airliners.net.
  24. Airliners.net
  25. "Ilyushin 76", Aerolift
  26. "Jet Air Cargo Ilyushin Il-76TD", Airliners.net.
  27. JUBA Cargo
  28. "BSL Airline Ilyushin Il-78", Airliners.net.
  29. http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Venezuela_To_Spend_One_Billion_Dollar_Russian_Loan_On_Air_Defense_999.html
  30. 30.0 30.1 Hassan, Mohamed Olad. (2007-03-27). "Cargo Plane Shot Down in Somalia". Washington Post. Retrieved on 2008-04-16.
  31. Cargo plane explodes in Khartoum, killing 4 crew | World | Reuters

External links