Page 18 - World Airnews Magazine February Edition 2021

RUSSIA

A NEW STEP IN VKS

AVIATION TRANSPORT

Text by LAGUK media and photo courtesy Rosoboronexport

of airfield , upgraded electronic and naviga- egation how to use the Il-76 for so-called

tion system, an airborne defence complex carpet bombing. The MoD released a video

ast year the Russian defence indus- against anti-aircraft missiles providing with practical bombing and firing of aircraft

Ltries fast-tracked delivery of transport jamming in infrared, ultraviolet and laser cannons at ground targets, carried out by

aircraft for the Russian Aerospace Forces ranges as well as radar jamming. the VKS regular crews in the Tver region of

(VKS —Vozdushno-kosmicheskie sily). The plane received a ‘glass cockpit’ with 6 Russia as part of a control check. The flight

The Il-76MD-90A military transport LCD screens. The new emergency evacua- altitude varied from 300 to 1000 metres

aircraft built at the Ulyanovsk Aviastar-SP tion system was also implemented. and the speed exceeded 500 km / h.

JSC (part of the United Aircraft Corporation The width and height of the cargo cabin According to the source, the flights were

JSC) completed its maiden flight in Decem- are 3.45 and 3.4 metre respectively to attended by the crews of the Tver, Pskov
ber last year. transport various equipment including and Ivanovo air regiments, including young

This is the third newly constructed Il- tanks and missile launchers. pilots. Each of the crew members flew at

76MD-90A aircraft that has flown in 2020. The Il-76MD-90A can carry 126 para- least three sorties.

The contract between UAC and VKS troopers with full equipment, or 145 sol- India also has a fleet of 17 Il-76 transport

includes 39 Il-76 military transport aircraft diers in a single-deck version and 225 aircraft, as well as seven Il-78 air tankers to

- a robust work horse since the Soviet time in a double-deck version. The service life allow the IAF to carry out similar missions.
nicked ‘Candid’ by NATO. The new version of the Il-76MD-90A is 30 years and can According to experts, in the foreseeable
has begged the question – so what is really be extended. future the world's major operators of mili-

new with the ‘Il-76MD 90A’ designation and The aircraft is capable of transporting 60 tary transport aircraft are going to gradually

this machine. tonnes of cargo across a distance of 4000 renew their existing fleet and Russian man-

Russian experts claimed that 90A is a km or 40 tonnes across to 6500km. This is ufacturers are well positioned for a strong

‘completely new aircraft’ with key features equal to a distance from Murmansk to New share in this segment. In particular, the new-

as the PS-90A engines and a modern flight York or from Komsomolsk to Seattle. est Russian military transport and special

and navigation system. Being based in Irkutsk, the aircraft can aircraft of the Ilyushin family have excellent
During the Soviet times, Ilyushin aircraft reach any port in China, India and Middle export prospects due to aerodynamic per-

were produced at the plant in Tashkent, now East. The new engines have a drastically fection, reliability and cost-efficiency.

independent Uzbekistan. Russia then shifted lower noise level and a fuel consumption The new plane export version designat-

the production line to Ulyanosk on the ratio as 187 gram/t/km to allow commer- ed as Il-76MD 90A (E) has been marketed

banks of the Volga river where the machine cial operations as well. by Rosoboronexport and is to be shown

drawings were digitised. This allowed the More than 900 - Il-76 have been pro- as a part of the national exposition at

improvement of the production line and duced and exported to over 30 countries Aeroindia -2021. The state arms dealer will

sped up the process of its modernisation. while in service in military and commercial definitely be at any upcoming events this

The new ‘Candid’ received an improved operation, including fire-fighting. year such as MAKS and Army to show off

wing design with 4 Perm-made PS90A-76 The Il-76MD 90A has opened a new page live demonstrations to potential custom-
engines with a thrust of 14.5t each, a re-in of the ‘Candid’ history. This autumn Russia ers from the CIS countries, Asia, Africa and

forced landing gear to allow use of all types demonstrated to the Indian Air Force del- Latin America. Q
World Airnews | February 2021
— 16 —