Ilyushin Il-76

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Il-76

Il-76 landing at Balad Air Base in 2005
Type Strategic airlifter
Manufacturer Tashkent Aviation Production Association
Designed by Ilyushin
Maiden flight March 25 1971
Introduced June 1971
Status Operational
Primary users Russian Air Force
Ukrainian Air Force
Chinese Air Force
Indian Air Force
Number built 960
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.

Contents

[edit] 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 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). In 1990s modernized variants were developed, but were not produced in significant quantity due to financial problems of the major user, the Russian Air Force. The production ceased around 1997, and the factory since deteriorated. In 2005, China ordered in Russia 34 new Il-76MD's and 4 tankers Il-78, and the factory in Tashkent completes 16 incomplete airframes. It is considered to start production of Il-76 in Ulyanovsk in Russia, in cooperation with Tashkent works[1].

[edit] Operational history

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

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.[2] Building on that experience, the bulk of the Canadian Forces equipment into Afghanistan is flown in using civilian Il-76[3]. As of 2006, the Russian Air Force had some 200 Il-76s, less than half airworthy, and civilian users in Russia have 108[1].

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), and a waterbomber. Its airframe was used as a base for the Beriev A-50 'Mainstay' AWACS aircraft.

[edit] Variants

[edit] Military variants

  • Il-76D - ('D' for "Desantnyi", Десантный - "Paratrooper transport") has a gun turret in the tail for defensive purposes.
  • Il-76M - Transport version.
  • Il-76MD - Transport version.
  • Il-76MD-90 - An Il-76MD with Aviadvigatel PS-90 engines.
  • Il-76MF - Stretched military version with 6m longer fuselage and Lift capability of 60 Tonnes.
  • Il-76MKD - Zero-gravity training aircraft for Yuri Gagarin Cosmonauts Training Center.
  • Il-76PP - Il-76MD-based radio jammer
  • Il-78MKI - Tanker version for the Indian Air Force, has mid-air refueling pods.
  • Il-76 Falcon - For the Indian Air Force. Hosts Falcon radar for AWACS.
  • SKIP - (СКИП - Самолетный Контрольно-Измерительный Пункт, Airborne Check-Measure-and-Control Center) - Il-76/A-50 based aircraft initially built to support Raduga Kh-55 cruise missile tests.

[edit] Civil variants

Ilyushin Il-76T
Ilyushin Il-76T
  • 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.
  • Il-76TF - Civil transport stretched version with Aviadvigatel PS-90 engines. It is the civil version of the Il-76MF.
  • Il-76P - 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.

[edit] Foreign Variants

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Baghdad-1

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

[edit] 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. [4] [5] Photos an Adnan 1 in Iranian service can be seen here, here and here. It can be easily distinguished from the A-50 by having the IL-76 navigator windows in the nose, which the A-50 does not.

[edit] Operators

Il-76 operators (countries only operating civil aircraft are in blue)
Il-76 operators (countries only operating civil aircraft are in blue)

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 United Nations
Flag of Algeria Algeria
  • The Algerian Air Force operates 17 Il-76 aircraft, including 3 Il-76MD, 8 Il-76TD, and 6 Il-78.
Flag of Angola Angola
Flag of Armenia Armenia
Flag of Azerbaijan Azerbaijan
Flag of Belarus Belarus
Flag of Burkina Faso Burkina Faso
Flag of the Central African Republic Central African Republic
  • Centrafrican Airlines
Flag of Cambodia Cambodia
  • Imtrec Aviation has operated a Laotian registered Il-76.
Flag of Canada Canada
Flag of the People's Republic of China China
Flag of the Republic of the Congo Congo-Brazzaville
Flag of Cuba Cuba
Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo
Flag of Equatorial Guinea Equatorial Guinea
  • Ecuatorial Cargo operates 1 Il-76TD.[8]
  • Express International Cargo
Flag of Hungary Hungary
  • Atlant Hungary has operated the Il-76.[9]
  • Hungarian Ukrainian Air Cargo has operated the Il-76[10]
Flag of India India
  • The Indian Air Force operates 24 Il-76MD, 6 Il-78MKI aircraft and 3 others with Israeli Phalcon radars for AWACS. Mostly for transporting ration in high altitude regions in Jammu and Kashmir and Siachen region
Flag of Iran Iran
Flag of Iraq Iraq
Flag of Jordan Jordan
Flag of Kazakhstan Kazakhstan
Flag of Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan
Flag of Latvia Latvia
  • Inversija operates 3, including 2 Il-76T and 1 Il-76TD.
Flag of Libya Libya
  • The Libyan Air Force has operated the Il-76 although it may not remain in service.
  • Buraq Air operates 6, including 3 Il-76MD and 3 Il-76TD.
  • Jamahiria Air Transport operates the Il-76M, Il-76TD, and Il-78.[15]
  • Libyan Air Cargo, the cargo division of Libyan Arab Airlines, operates 21, including 1 Il-76M and 15 Il-76TD.
  • Tobruk Air
Flag of Mali Mali
  • Transafrica Airlines
Flag of Moldova Moldova
  • Aerocom operated an Il-76MD as well as an Il-76T until as late as January 2005.
  • Airline Transport operated a number of Il-76 aircraft, losing 3 in accidents in 2004 and 2005.
  • Jet Line International operates the Il-76[16]
  • Tiramavia
Flag of North Korea North Korea
Flag of Russia Russia
Flag of Serbia Serbia
Flag of Sierra Leone Sierra Leone
  • Aerolift Sierra Leone operates Il-76 aircraft for special charter and cargo lift operations.[19]
Flag of the Soviet Union 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.[20]
Flag of Sudan Sudan
  • Air West operated a small number of aircraft, although it is unclear how many remain in service.
  • Azza Transport operates 2 Il-76TD.
  • East West Cargo operated a number of Il-76 aircraft.
  • Juba Cargo operates the Il-76[21]
  • Badr Airlines operates 1 Il-76,}[1]
  • Trans Attico
Flag of Syria Syria
Flag of Turkmenistan Turkmenistan
Flag of Ukraine Ukraine
  • The Ukrainian Air Force inherited a large number of Il-76 aircraft from the Soviet Air Force, with as many as 100 remaining in service.
  • Air Service Ukraine operated the Il-76MD.
  • Air Ukraine and Air Ukraine Cargo operated the aircraft, although none were in service at the time of bankruptcy.
  • ATI Aircompany operates a number of Il-76 models.
  • Azov Avia Airlines operates 2 Il-76MD.
  • BSL Airline operated as many as 6 Il-78.[22]
  • Busol Airlines operated the Il-76 before its closure in 1998.
  • Khors Aircompany operates 2 Il-76MD.
  • Lviv Airlines operates 3 Il-76MD.
  • South Airlines is a former operator.
  • Ukraine Air Alliance operates 4, including 1 Il-76MD and 3 Il-76TD.
  • Ukrainian Cargo Airways operates 21, including 19 Il-76MD.
  • Veteran Airlines
  • Volare Airlines operates 3, including 2 Il-76MD and 1 Il-76TD.
  • Yuzhmashavia operates 2 Il-76TD.
Flag of the United States United States
  • Air Support Systems, LLC operates the IL-76/78 in fire fighting duties in the USA.
Flag of the United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates
  • Gulf Aviation Technology and Services operates a number of Il-76 aircraft on charter or lease.
  • Phoenix Aviation operates 2 Il-76TD.
Flag of Uzbekistan Uzbekistan
Flag of Yemen Yemen
Flag of Zimbabwe Zimbabwe

[edit] Incidents and accidents

[edit] Specifications (Il-76D)

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General characteristics

  • Crew: 5 – 7
  • Capacity: 40,000 kg (Il-76), 48,000 kg (Il-76M/T), 50,000 kg (Il-76MD/TD), 60,000 kg (Il-76MF/TF)
  • Payload: 45 – 47 tonnes (~50 tons)
  • Length: 46.59 m (152 ft 10 in)
  • Wingspan: 50.5 m (165 ft 8 in)
  • Height: 14.76 m (48 ft 5 in)
  • Wing area: 300.0 m² (3,229.2 ft²)
  • Empty weight: 72,000 kg (Il-76), 92,000 kg (Il-76MD/TD), 104,000 kg (Il-76MF/TF) (159,000 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 157,000 kg (Il-76), 170,000 kg (Il-76M/T), 190,000 kg IL-76MD/TD), 210,000 kg (Il-76MF/TF) (346,000 lb (Il-76))
  • Powerplant: 4× Soloviev D-30KP turbofans, 118 kN (26,500 lbf) each

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 900 km/h (490 kt, 560 mph, or Mach 0.82-1.17 depending on altitude)
  • Range: (with max payload) 3,650 km (Il-76), 4,000 km (Il-76M/T), 4,400 km (Il-76MD/TD), 4,200 km (Il-76MF/TF) (nm, mi)
  • Service ceiling 13,000 m (42,700 ft)
  • Rate of climb: m/s (ft/min)
  • Wing loading: 566.7 kg/m² (Il-76M/T), 633.3 kg/m² (Il-76MD/TD) (116.05 lb/ft² (Il-76M/T), 129.72 lb/ft² (Il-76MD/TD))
  • Thrust/weight: 0.305 (Il-76), 0.282 (Il-76M/T), 0.252 (IL-76MD/TD), 0.228 (Il-76MF/TF)

Armament

  • Guns: 2× 23 mm cannon in radar-directed manned turret at base of tail

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

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Butowski, Piotr. Rosyjski kontrakt na Ił-76 i Ił-78 dla Chin. Lotnictwo nr. 1/2007, p.54-55 (Polish)
  2. ^ [Ilyushin Il-76 Russia's Versatile Airlifter]
  3. ^ Canadian Parliament Website
  4. ^ GlobalSecurity.org
  5. ^ AWACS and HawkeyesThe Complete History of Airborne Early Warning
  6. ^ "Ilyushin Il-76 D2-FEM", AirTeamImages.com.
  7. ^ "Air Congo Ilyushin Il-76", Airliners.net.
  8. ^ "Ecuatorial Cargo Ilyushin Il-76TD", Airliners.net.
  9. ^ "Atlant-Hungary Ilyushin Il-76TD", Airliners.net.
  10. ^ "HUK - Hungarian Ukrainian Air Cargo Ilyushin Il-76TD", Airliners.net.
  11. ^ "Atlas Air Ilyushin Il-76TD", Airliners.net.
  12. ^ "Chabahar Air Ilyushin Il-76TD", Airliners.net.
  13. ^ "Lease", Air Almaty
  14. ^ "GST Aero Ilyushin Il-76T", Airliners.net.
  15. ^ "Jamahiria Air Transport Ilyushin Il-76/78", Airliners.net.
  16. ^ Jet Line
  17. ^ "Air STAN Ilyushin Il-76", Airliners.net.
  18. ^ "Moscow Airways Ilyushin Il-76", Airliners.net.
  19. ^ "Ilyushin 76", Aerolift
  20. ^ "Jet Air Cargo Ilyushin Il-76TD", Airliners.net.
  21. ^ JUBA Cargo
  22. ^ "BSL Airline Ilyushin Il-78", Airliners.net.
  23. ^ a b Hassan, Mohamed Olad. (2007-03-27). Cargo Plane Shot Down in Somalia. Washington Post. Retrieved on 2008-04-16.

[edit] External links

[edit] Related content

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Ilyushin aircraft
Fighter
Attack
Il-2 · Il-8 · Il-10 · Il-16 · Il-20 (I) · Il-40 · Il-102
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Il-4 · Il-6 · Il-22 (I) · Il-28 · Il-30 · Il-46 · Il-54
Transports
Il-12 · Il-20 (II) · Il-32 · Il-34 · Il-76 · Il-78 · Il-80 · Il-106 · Il-112
Passenger aircraft
Il-14 · Il-18 · Il-62 · Il-86 · Il-96 · Il-114
Reconnaissance
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Il-103


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