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Ilyushin Il-76

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Il-76
Il-76TD-90VD of Volga-Dnepr in 2011
Role Strategic airlifter
National origin Soviet Union / Russia
Manufacturer Ilyushin / Tashkent Aviation Production Association
First flight March 25, 1971
Introduction June 1974[1]
Status Operational
Primary users Russian Air Force
Ukrainian Air Force
Indian Air Force[2]
TransAVIAexport Airlines
Number built 960[3]
Variants Ilyushin Il-78
Beriev A-50
KJ-2000

The Ilyushin Il-76 (NATO reporting name: Candid) is a multi-purpose four-engined strategic airlifter designed by Ilyushin design bureau. It was first planned as a commercial freighter in 1967. Intended as a replacement for the Antonov An-12, the Il-76 was designed for delivering heavy machinery to remote, poorly-serviced areas of the USSR. Military versions of the Il-76 have seen widespread use in Europe, Asia and Africa, including use as an airborne refueling tanker or as a command center.

The Il-76 has seen extensive service as a commercial freighter for ramp-delivered cargo, especially for outsized or heavy items unable to be otherwise carried. It has been used as emergency response transport for civilian evacuations and to deliver humanitarian/disaster relief aid around the world, especially to undeveloped areas due to its ability to operate from unpaved runways. A water-carrying version of the plane has been effective in fire-fighting. There is also a model used for zero-G training.

Design and development

Il-76 of the Indian Air Force lands in Leh, Ladakh.

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 nmi; 3,100 mi) 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. It was intended as a replacement for the An-12. Another intended version was a double-decked 250-passenger airliner but that project was cancelled. The Il-76 first flew on March 25, 1971.[citation needed]

Il-76TD glass nose

Production of Il-76s was placed in Tashkent Aviation Production Association in Tashkent, Uzbekistan (then a republic of the Soviet Union). Some 860 of the basic transport variants were made.[4] In the 1990s, modernized variants were developed (MF, TF), with a cargo compartment 20 m long by 3.4 m wide by 3.4 m tall, but were not produced in significant quantity due to financial problems of the major user, the Russian Air Force. The prototype of the longer variant Il-76MF, with greater capacity, first flew on 1 August 1995. The production ceased around 1997, and the factory has since deteriorated.

Some commercial aircraft were modernized to the Il-76TD-90VD version, starting from 2004, using new PS-90 engines to meet European noise limits.[1] In 2005, China ordered[clarification needed] in Russia 34 new Il-76MDs and 4 Il-78 tankers, and the factory in Tashkent produced 16 incomplete airframes. In 2004, A PLAAF (People's Liberation Army Air Force) Il-76 carried out flight mission in Afghanistan, later in 2011, PLAAF Il-76s were sent to Libya to evacuate Chinese citizens. The two missions were reported first steps of PLAAF developing long-range transportation capacity.[5]

Production of the Il-476 at a new production line at the Aviatstar factory in Ulyanovsk, in Russia, in cooperation with the Tashkent works, is under consideration.[4] The construction of two prototype IL-476s has begun at the Ulyanovk facility.[6][7][8][9]

Operational history

USAF and IAF airmen work inside the cockpit of an Indian Il-76.

First aircraft were delivered to the Soviet Air Force in June 1974.[1] Next it became the 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.[10] As Afghan rebels were unable to shoot down high-flying Il-76s, their tactics were to try and damage it at take-off or landing. Il-76s were often hit by shoulder-launched Stinger and Strela heat-seeking missiles and large-calibre machine-gun fire, but because the strong airframes were able to take substantial damage and still remain operational, the aircraft had a remarkably low attrition rate during the period of conflict. Building on that experience, the bulk of the Canadian Forces equipment into Afghanistan is flown in using civilian Il-76.[11] In 2006, the Russian Air Force had about 200 Il-76s. Civilian users in Russia have 108.[4]

Il-76s sitting on the ramp at the Tripoli Airport were bombed by USAF F-111s during Operation El Dorado Canyon in April 1986.[12]

The Il-76 is also in use as an airborne tanker, otherwise known as a refueller (Il-78, some 50 were made[4]), and a waterbomber. Its airframe was used as a base for the Beriev A-50 'Mainstay' AWACS aircraft (some 25 were made[4]). Still more applications have been found in Antarctic support flights and simulated weightlessness training for cosmonauts.[13] Beriev and NPO Almaz also developed an airborne laser flying laboratory designated A-60, of which two were built, although little is known about it, as the project is still classified.[14]

Variants

Prototypes and developmental variants

Il-76TD, one of the first variants, at Zurich Airport.
  • Izdeliye-176: prototype Il-76PP.
  • Izdeliye-576:
  • Izdeliye-676: Telemetry and communications relay aircraft, for use during trial programmes (prototype).
  • Izdeliye-776: Telemetry and communications relay aircraft, for use during trial programmes (prototype).
  • IZdeliye-976 ("SKIP")[15] - (СКИП - Самолетный Контрольно-Измерительный Пункт, Airborne Check-Measure-and-Control Center): Il-76/A-50 based Range Control and Missile tracking platform. Initially built to support Raduga Kh-55 cruise missile tests.
  • Izdeliye-1076: Special mission aircraft for unknown duties.
  • Izdeliye-1176: ELINT electronic intelligence aircraft, a.k.a. Il-76-11
  • Il-76TD-90 / Il-76MD-90: Engine upgrades to Perm PS-90s.
  • Il-76 firebomber: Fire-fighting aircraft to drop exploding capsules filled with fire retardant.
  • Il-76PSD: SAR version of Il-76MF
  • Il-96: Early development of convertible passenger/cargo aircraft, (project only, designation re-used later)
  • Il-150: proposed Beriev A-50 with Perm PS-90 engines.
  • Beriev A-60: Airborne laser weapon testbed. (Il-76 version 1A)

Military variants

An Il-78MKI in-service with the Indian Air Force
  • Il-76-Tu160 tailplane transporter: One-off temporary conversion to support Tu-160 emergency modification programme.
  • Il-76D: ('D' for "Desantnyi", Десантный - "Paratrooper transport") has a gun turret in the tail for defensive purposes.
  • Il-76K/Il-76MDK/Il-76MDK-II: Zero-g cosmonaut trainer (dlya podgotovki kosmonavtov), for Yuri Gagarin Cosmonauts Training Center.
  • Il-76LL: Engine testbed, (ooniversahl'naya letayuschchaya laboratoriya).
  • Il-76M: Military transport version, (modifitseerovannyy - modified).
  • Il-76MD: Improved military transport version, (modifitseerovannyy Dahl'ny - modified, long-range).
  • Il-76MD Skal'pel-MT: - Mobile Hospital
  • Il-76M / Il-76MD: Built without military equipment but designated as Ms and MDs (Gordon - 'Falsies')
  • Il-76MD-90: An Il-76MD with quieter and more economical Aviadvigatel PS-90 engines.
  • Il-76MF: Stretched military version with a 6.6 m longer fuselage, PS-90 engines, maximum take-off mass 210 t and lift capability of 60 tonnes. First flew in 1995, not built in series so far,[1] just built for Jordan.
  • Il-76PP: ECM aircraft, major problems with ECM equipment on the Izdeliye-176 only.
  • Il-76MD PS: Maritime Search and Rescue aircraft, (poiskovo-spasahtel'nyy).
  • Il-76T/Il-76TD: Built as military aircraft but given civilian designations. (Gordon - 'Falsie')
  • Il-78 / Il-78M: Aerial refuelling tanker.
    • Il-78 MKI: A customized version of the Il-78 developed for the Indian Air Force.
  • Il-82: Airborne Command Post/communications relay aircraft, (alternative designation - Il-76VKP-'version65S').
  • Beriev A-50/Beriev A-50M/Beriev A-50I/Beriev A-50E: - Airborne Early Warning & Control aircraft. Beriev given control over the program.
  • Il-476: An updated version with a new glass cockpit and Aviadvigatel PS-90 engines.[16][17]

Civil variants

A commercial variant of Ilyushin Il-76 loading cargo at Ali Base in Iraq.
Il-76MD cargo cabin
  • Il-76MGA: Initial Commercial freighter. (2 prototypes and 12 production)
  • Il-76MD to Il-76TD conversions: Complete removal of Military equipment, identified by crude cover over OBIGGS inlet in Starboard Sponson.
  • Il-76P / Il-76TP / Il-76TDP / Il-76MDP: Firefighting aircraft. The Il-76 waterbomber is a VAP-2 1.5 hour install/removal tanking kit conversion. The Il-76 can carry up to 13,000 U.S. gallons (49,000 liters) of water; 3.5 times the capacity of the C-130 Hercules. Since this kit can be installed on any Il-76, the designation Il-76TP, Il-76TDP are also used when those versions of the Il-76 are converted into waterbombers. The Il-76P was first unveiled in 1990.
  • Il-76T: ('T' for Transport, Транспортный) unarmed civil cargo transport version. NATO code-name "Candid-A". It first flew on November 4, 1978.
  • Il-76TD: The civil equivalent of the Il-76MD, first flew in 1982.
  • Il-76TD-90VD: An Il-76TD with Aviadvigatel PS-90 engines and a partial glass cockpit. It was developed specially for Volga-Dnepr cargo company. 3 aircraft had been built already
  • Il-76TD-S: Civilian mobile Hospital, similar to Il-76MD Skal'pel-MT.
  • Il-76TF: Civil transport stretched version with Aviadvigatel PS-90 engines. It is the civil version of the Il-76MF (none produced).

Foreign variants

The A-50E/I Mainstay of the Indian Air Force.
  • A-50E/I Phalcon: For the Indian Air Force. Hosts Israeli Phalcon radar for AWACS and Aviadvigatel PS-90 engines.[18]
  • Il-76MD tanker: Iraqi Air Force tanker conversions.
  • KJ-2000: Domestic Chinese AWACS conversion of Il-76, developed after A-50I was cancelled and currently in service with the armed forces of China.
  • CFTE engine testbed: The 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 350 km (189 nmi, 217.5 mi). One was destroyed on the ground during the Persian Gulf War but two others (Adnan-1 and Adnan-2) were flown to Iran where they remained.[19][20] They were renamed Simorgh and probably modified. At least one was put back to service with IRIAF since on 22 September 2009, one of them crashed[21] during a midair collision with a HESA Saeqeh fighter jet during the annual Iranian military parade in Teheran. The other one is believed to be not flightworthy as of 2009. 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)

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 italics.

 United Nations
 Algeria
  • The Algerian Air Force operates 11 Il-76 aircraft, including 3 Il-76MD, 8 Il-76TD, and 7 Il-78 Midas.
 Angola
 Armenia
 Azerbaijan
 Belarus
 Burkina Faso
 Cambodia
 China
 Democratic Republic of the Congo
 Republic of the Congo
  • The Republic of the Congo operates an Il-76.
 Cuba
 Equatorial Guinea
 Hungary
Indian air force pilots walk away from their IL-76 medium cargo jet after landing at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii.
 India
  • The Indian Air Force current fixed-wing transport fleet comprises 24 IL-76 and more than 100 AN-32s.[29] 17 Il-76MD, 6 Il-78MKI aircraft and 2 A-50 with Israeli Phalcon radars for AWACS.[30] Mostly for transporting ration in high altitude regions in Jammu and Kashmir and Siachen region
 Iran
File:Iraqi Airways Il-76 Cargo Aircraft (2167325034).jpg
Ilyushin Il-76MD of Iraqi Airways at Basle in 1984.
 Iraq
 Jordan
 Kazakhstan
Air Almaty Il-76T
 Kyrgyzstan
 Laos
  • Imtrec aviation of Cambodia operates Laos registered Il-76TD.[36]
 Latvia
  • Inversija operates 3, including 2 Il-76T and 1 Il-76TD.
 Libya
 Mali
 Moldova
 North Korea
 Russia
 Serbia
 Sierra Leone
  • Aerolift Sierra Leone operates Il-76 aircraft for special charter and cargo lift operations.[43]
 Soviet Union
  • The Soviet Air Force operated hundreds of the aircraft, with an inventory of 310 in 1987. Most were dispersed to the successor states upon the breakup of the Soviet Union.
  • Aeroflot was the main civil user of the aircraft during the period of the Soviet Union, although many of its aircraft were operated on behalf of the military.
  • Jet Air Cargo was one of the first civil operators of the Il-76 in Russia other than Aeroflot.[44]
 Sudan
 Syria
 Turkmenistan
 Ukraine
 United States
 United Arab Emirates
 Uzbekistan
 Yemen

Incidents and accidents

Specifications (Il-76TD-90)

Data from [2]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 5
  • Capacity: 50,000 kg (Il-76)[nb 1]

Performance

Armament

  • Guns: 2× 23 mm cannon in radar-directed manned turret at base of tail
  • Bombs: Some military models have 2 hardpoints under each outer wing capable of supporting 500 kg bombs.

Notes:

  1. ^ 60,000 kg for the IL-76MF/TF
  2. ^ 0.282 (Il-76M/T), 0.252 (Il-76MD/TD), 0.228 (Il-76MF/TF)
  3. ^ 92,000 kg (Il-76MD/TD), 104,000 kg (Il-76MF/TF)
  4. ^ for other models: 170,000 kg (Il-76M/T), 190,000 kg Il-76MD/TD), 210,000 kg (Il-76MF/TF)
  5. ^ 4,000 km (Il-76M/T), 4,400 km (Il-76MD/TD), 4,200 km (Il-76MF/TF)
  6. ^ 633.3 kg/m² (Il-76MD/TD)

[60][61]

[62]

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References

  1. ^ a b c d Butowski, Piotr. Iliuszyn Ił-76 powraca. Lotnictwo nr. 9/2004, p. 28-32 Template:Pl icon
  2. ^ a b "Ilyushin beriev IL-76 Candid (Gajraj)". Indian-military.org. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
  3. ^ [Ilyushin Il-76: Russia's Versatile Jet Freighter]
  4. ^ a b c d e Butowski, Piotr. Rosyjski kontrakt na Ił-76 i Ił-78 dla Chin. Lotnictwo nr. 1/2007, pp. 54-55 Template:Pl icon
  5. ^ "IL-76s' mission in PLAAF, China". Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  6. ^ "Поставки транспортников Ил-476 заказчикам начнутся в 2012 году - ВПК.name". Vpk.name. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  7. ^ "photo №14554 || Ilushin Il-476 || (c) Dmitry Kanunnikov". russianplanes.net. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  8. ^ "photo №14553 || Ilushin Il-476 || (c) Dmitry Kanunnikov". russianplanes.net. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  9. ^ "photo №19388 || Ilushin Il-476 || (c) Dmitry Kanunnikov". russianplanes.net. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  10. ^ [Ilyushin Il-76 Russia's Versatile Airlifter
  11. ^ Canadian Parliament Website[dead link]
  12. ^ "Operation El Dorado Canyon". Retrieved 28 July 2010.
  13. ^ "File:Марка России 2006г №1073-Самолет ИЛ-76ТД и научно-экспедиционное судно "Академик Федоров"; панорама станции.jpg". Stamps of Russia. Publishing and Trading Centre "Marka". 2006-01-26. Retrieved 2009-04-11.
  14. ^ A-60 brief description
  15. ^ "The Ilyushin Il-76". Vectorsite.net. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  16. ^ "ASIAN DEFENCE: Russian to receive Il-476 transport planes in 2012". Theasiandefence.blogspot.com. 2009-12-25. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  17. ^ Il-476
  18. ^ Aviation and Aerospace
  19. ^ GlobalSecurity.org
  20. ^ AWACS and Hawkeyes - The Complete History of Airborne Early Warning
  21. ^ YouTube - ‪IRIAF IL-76MD "Simorgh" (Phoenix) AWACS Crash (Sep 22, 2009)‬‏
  22. ^ Airliners.net
  23. ^ "Ilyushin Il-76 D2-FEM", AirTeamImages.com.
  24. ^ [1][dead link]
  25. ^ "Air Congo Ilyushin Il-76", Airliners.net.
  26. ^ "Ecuatorial Cargo Ilyushin Il-76TD", Airliners.net.
  27. ^ "Atlant-Hungary Ilyushin Il-76TD", Airliners.net.
  28. ^ "HUK - Hungarian Ukrainian Air Cargo Ilyushin Il-76TD", Airliners.net.
  29. ^ "India Seeks To Bolster Transport With 10 C-17s". Defense News. 2009-11-05. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  30. ^ "Indian Air Force :: Aircraft Fleet Strength". Bharat-rakshak.com. 2009-10-19. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  31. ^ "Atlas Air Ilyushin Il-76TD", Airliners.net.
  32. ^ "Chabahar Air Ilyushin Il-76TD", Airliners.net.
  33. ^ Jordan International Air Cargo
  34. ^ "Lease", Air Almaty
  35. ^ "GST Aero Ilyushin Il-76T", Airliners.net.
  36. ^ Airliners.net
  37. ^ "Jamahiria Air Transport Ilyushin Il-76/78", Airliners.net.
  38. ^ Jet Line
  39. ^ "Air STAN Ilyushin Il-76", Airliners.net.
  40. ^ "Moscow Airways Ilyushin Il-76", Airliners.net.
  41. ^ http://www.jamierochepr.co.uk/newsletters/volga-dnepr/august2008/download/Volga-Dnepr_Big_News_Issue_15.pdf
  42. ^ http://www.heavyliftpfi.com/content/NewsItem.aspx?id=3747
  43. ^ "Ilyushin 76", Aerolift
  44. ^ "Jet Air Cargo Ilyushin Il-76TD", Airliners.net.
  45. ^ JUBA Cargo
  46. ^ "BSL Airline Ilyushin Il-78", Airliners.net.
  47. ^ Photos: Ilyushin Il-76... Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net
  48. ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Ilyushin 76M CCCP-86732 Leninakan". Aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  49. ^ Astill, James (10 May 2003). "At 10,000 feet the door flipped open and scores of passengers were sucked out". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
  50. ^ Hassan, Mohamed Olad (2007-03-27). "Cargo Plane Shot Down in Somalia". Washington Post. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
  51. ^ "Cargo plane explodes in Khartoum, killing 4 crew". Reuters. 30 June 2008.
  52. ^ Hradecky, Simon. "Crash: Aerolift IL76 at Entebbe on Mar 9th 2009, impacted Lake Victoria after takeoff". The Aviation Herald. Retrieved 27 December 2010.
  53. ^ "RECENT ACCIDENTS / INCIDENTS WORLDWIDE". JACDEC. Retrieved 28 August 2009.
  54. ^ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 23 September 2009.
  55. ^ "Iranian Military Planes Crashes in Annual Parade". Defensenews. Retrieved 23 September 2009.
  56. ^ "Вести.Ru: Экипаж не смог справиться с сильным креном Ил-76". Vesti.ru. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
  57. ^ Berry, Lynn for Associated Press. "Russian military cargo plane crashes on takeoff, killing all 11 crew members on board". Dailypress.com, 1 November 2009.
  58. ^ Hradecky, Simon. "Crash: Sun Way IL76 at Karachi on Nov 28th 2010, engine fire". The Aviation Herald. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  59. ^ Hradecky, Simon. "Crash: Silk Way IL76 near Bagram on Jul 6th 2011, impacted mountain". The Aviation Herald. The Aviation Herald. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
  60. ^ http://www.ilyushin.org/eng/products/cargo/76td90.html
  61. ^ http://www.avid.ru/eng/products/civil/PS-90A-76/
  62. ^ http://www.volga-dnepr.com/files/2011/il-76e_final.pdf
  • Eden, Paul (ed.). The Encyclopedia of Modern Military Aircraft. London, UK: Amber Books, 2004. ISBN 1-904687-84-9.
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