| Il-38 | |
|---|---|
| Ilyusin Il-38SD of the Indian Navy in 2007. | |
| Role | anti-submarine warfare and Maritime patrol aircraft |
| Design group | Ilyushin |
| First flight | 1967 |
| Primary users | Soviet Naval Aviation Russian Naval Aviation Indian Navy |
| Number built | 176 |
| Developed from | Ilyushin Il-18 |
The Ilyushin Il-38 (NATO reporting name: May) is a maritime patrol aircraft and anti-submarine warfare aircraft designed in the Soviet Union. It was a development of the Ilyushin Il-18 turboprop transport.
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The Il-38 is an adaption of the four-engined turboprop Ilyushin Il-18 for use as a maritime patrol aircraft for the Soviet Navy. They meet a requirement to counter American ballistic missile submarines. The Communist Party Central Committee and the Council of Ministers issued a joint directive on 18 June 1960, it called for a prototype to be ready for trials by the second quarter of 1962. The fuselage, wing, tail unit and engine nacelles were the same as the Il-18 and it had the same powerplant and flightdeck. An aerodynamic prototype of the Il-38 first flew on 28 September 1961,[1] with the first production aircraft following in September 1967. Production, which continued until 1972, was limited to 58 aircraft, as the longer range and more versatile Tupolev Tu-142 derivative of the Tupolev Tu-95 strategic bomber had entered service.[2]
Details of the Il-38 are limited, but the airframe is stretched by 4 m (13 ft) over the Il-18 and the wings are moved forward. Unlike the Il-18, only the forward fuselage of the Il-38 is pressurized.[3] The tail contains a MAD, while under the forward fuselage a Berkut ("Golden Eagle") search radar (named "Wet Eye" by NATO) is housed in a bulged radome. There are two internal weapons bays, one forward of the wing, housing sonobuoys and one behind the wing housing weapons.[1]
About thirty remain in service with Russian naval aviation,[4] while five were delivered to India in 1975.
The Il-38s of the Indian Navy have been sent back to Russia for upgrades. They will incorporate the new Sea Dragon avionic suite, incorporating a new radar, a Forward looking infrared (FLIR) turret under the nose and an electronic intelligence (ELINT) system housed in a box-like structure mounted on struts above the forward fuselage.[4] Three aircraft have been delivered to the Indian Navy. The new version is designated Il-38 SD.
There are reports of efforts towards adding the capability to fire the Indo-Russian Brahmos cruise missile from this aircraft. Mockups have been displayed with air-launched Brahmos attached to underwing pylons on the Indian Navy aircraft.
The Il-38 was operated by units in the Soviet Northern, Pacific and Baltic fleets. In March 1968 a squadron of Il-38s deployed to Cairo in Egypt, flown by Soviet crews but in Egyptian markings, until being withdrawn in 1972. Il-38s continued to deploy overseas through the Cold War, flying from Aden in South Yemen, Asmera in what was then Ethiopia, Libya and Syria. Two Il-38s were attacked and at least one was destroyed by Eritrean People's Liberation Front fighters in 1984 at Asmera.[2] Following the end of the Cold War and the break-up of the Soviet Union, Il-38s continue in service with the Russian Navy's Arctic and Pacific Fleets.[4]
India received three ex-Soviet Naval Aviation Il-38s in 1977, with two more arriving in 1983. Indian modifications included fitting pylons to the fuselage side to carry the Sea Eagle Anti-ship missile.[5]
On December 7, 2010, two Russian Navy Il-38s appeared over the Japan Sea near the Noto peninsula, interrupting a combined US-Japan Navy drill. The exercises were canceled because of concern that Il-38s might be carrying out surveillance missions on US/Japan naval activities.
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General characteristics
Performance
Armament
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