The Ilyushin Il-76 (Russian: Илью́шин Ил-76; NATO reporting name: Candid) is a multi-purpose, fixed-wing, four-engine turbofanstrategic airlifter designed by the Soviet Union's Ilyushin design bureau as a commercial freighter in 1967, to replace the Antonov An-12. It was developed to deliver heavy machinery to remote and poorly served areas. Military versions of the Il-76 have been widely used in Europe, Asia and Africa, including use as an aerial refueling tanker and command center.
The Il-76 has seen extensive service as a commercial freighter for ramp-delivered cargo, especially for outsized or heavy items that cannot be carried by other means. It has also been used as an emergency response transport for civilian evacuations as well as for humanitarian aid and disaster relief around the world. Thanks to its ability to operate from unpaved runways, it has been useful in undeveloped areas. Specialized models have also been produced for aerial firefighting and zero-G training.
The aircraft was conceived by Ilyushin in 1967 to meet a requirement for a freighter able to carry a payload of 40 tonnes (88,000 lb) over a range of 5,000 kilometres (2,700 nmi; 3,100 mi) in less than six hours, able to operate from short[vague] 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 to replace the Antonov An-12. Another project design for a double-decked 250-passenger airliner was cancelled. The Il-76 first flew in March 1971 (1971-03).[3]
Production of Il-76s was allocated to the Tashkent Aviation Production Association in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, then a republic of the Soviet Union. Some 860 of the basic transport variants were manufactured.[4] In the 1990s, modernized variants also equipped with Soloviev D-30 turbofan engines[5] were developed (MF, TF), with a cargo compartment 20 m (66 ft) long by 3.4 m (11 ft) wide by 3.4 m (11 ft) tall; these larger variants were not produced in significant quantity due to the financial difficulties being experienced by the Russian Air Force, which was the primary operator of the type.[citation needed]
From 2004 onwards, a number of aircraft in commercial service were modernized to the Il-76TD-90VD version; this involved the adoption of the newly developed PS-90 engine to comply with European noise limitations.[2] In 2005, the People's Republic of China placed an order for 34 new Il-76MDs and four Il-78 tankers.[citation needed] In June 2013, Russian military export agency Rosoboronexport announced an order by China for 12 Il-76MD aircraft.[6]
Landing gear of an Ilyushin Il-76Landing of the Il-76 transport aircraft at the Brest airport
The Il-76 has also been modified into an airborne refuelling tanker, designated the Il-78, around 50 aircraft having been produced.[4] A variant of the Il-76 also serves as a firefighting waterbomber. Its airframe was used as a base for the BerievA-50 'Mainstay'AEW&C (airborne early warning and control) aircraft; around 25 aircraft were made.[4] Another application for the type was found in Antarctic support flights and for conducting simulated weightlessness training for cosmonauts (akin to the "Vomit Comet" used by NASA).[7] Beriev and NPO Almaz also developed an airborne laser flying laboratory designated A-60, of which two were built, much of this project's details remaining classified.[8]
It was announced in 2010 that the production of a modernized Il-76, the Il-76MD-90A (also known as project Il-476 during the design stage), would begin; a proposed new production line would be located in Aviastar's facility in Ulyanovsk, Russia, and be operated in cooperation with the Tashkent works.[4] At that point, the construction of two Il-76MD-90A prototypes had begun at the Ulyanovsk facility.[9] The first Il-76MD-90A was rolled out at Aviastar's Ulyanovsk plant on 16 June 2014.[10] On 29 April 2015, it was reported that the Russian Aerospace Forces received the first Il-76MD-90A built at the Ulyanovsk plant "Aviastar-SP" from the 2012 contract for 39 aircraft.[11] The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) received its first serial production Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A airlifter on 2 April 2019.[12] As of late-2023, 27 aircraft are ordered to be delivered in the period up to 2028 and 20 had been built, 6 in 2023.[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]
The first aircraft was delivered to the Soviet Air Force in June 1974[2] and subsequently became the main Soviet strategic transport aircraft. From 1976, it was operated by Aeroflot.
Video of Il-76MD landing on an unpaved runway
Between 1979 and 1991, 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. As Afghan rebels were unable to shoot down high-flying Il-76s, their tactics were to try and damage it on takeoff 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 remain operational, the aircraft had a remarkably low attrition rate during this period of conflict. Building on that experience, the bulk of the Canadian Forces equipment into Afghanistan was flown in using civilian Il-76s.[23] In 2006, the Russian Air Force had about 200 Il-76s. Civilian users in Russia have 108.[4]
USAF and IAF airmen work inside the cockpit of an Indian Il-76.
In 2004, a Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Il-76 carried out a flight mission in Afghanistan, and later in 2011, PLAAF Il-76s were sent to Libya to evacuate Chinese citizens. The two missions were the reported first steps of PLAAF developing long-range transportation capability.[24]
Syrian Air Force Il-76s, operating as civil Syrianair aircraft, have been reportedly used to ship weapons, money, and other cargo from Russia and Iran to Syria, according to a defected Syrian military pilot. Since the start of the war, in April 2011 (and up to July 2012), around 20 military flights have been conducted to and from Tehran, via Iraqi airspace. Further information exposes that since around 2012, Syrian Il-76s have regularly flown to Moscow's Vnukovo Airport to fetch shipments of Syrian banknotes that have been useful to Bashar al-Assad's government to survive international sanctions.[25][26][27]
On 30 January 2017, an Il-76 firebomber of the Russian EMERCOM agency was deployed to Chile to assist firefighters. The assignment took 39 days.[28]
All Il-76 transport aircraft in service with the RF Aerospace Forces were to receive anti-missile systems, and aircraft reconfiguration started in spring 2019.[29]
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Il-76MD-90A of the Russian Aerospace ForcesIl-76MD GSh-23 tail gunsIl-76MD cargo cabinAn Il-76VKP/-82 flying under Aeroflotbrandname.
Il-76D
('D' for "Desantnyi", Десантный – "paratrooper transport") has a gun turret in the tail for defensive purposes.
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 high-bypass turbofan engines.
Il-76MF
Stretched military version with a 6.6 m (22 ft) longer fuselage, PS-90A-76 engines, maximum takeoff weight of 210 t (460,000 lb) and a lift capability of 60 t (130,000 lb). First flew in 1995. Two built and delivered to the Royal Jordanian Air Force,[2] later sold to the Egyptian Air Force.
Il-76MD-M
Modernized Il-76MD for the Russian Aerospace Forces.[31][32][33]
Il-76MD-90A
An upgraded version with a new glass cockpit, upgraded avionics, new one-piece carbon-fibre wing, and Aviadvigatel PS-90A-76 engines. It was also known as Il-476 while in development.[10][34] Designated as Il-76-MD-90AE for the export market.[35]
Il-76T/Il-76TD
Built as military aircraft but given civilian designations. (Gordon – 'Falsie')
A commercial variant of the Ilyushin Il-76, loading cargo at Ali Air Base, IraqAn Il-76TD belonging to the IRGC, used as a firefighting aircraft
Il-76MGA
Initial commercial freighter (two prototypes and 12 production) equipped with Soloviev D-30 turbofan engines.[36]
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 49,000 litres (13,000 US gal) 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, equipped with Soloviev D-30 turbofan engines.[36]
Il-76TD-90
A Volga-Dnepr Airlines Il-76TD-90VD flying commercial operations.An Il-76TD with Aviadvigatel PS-90 engines and a partial glass cockpit.
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, which operates five aircraft as of 2021.[37]
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).
Domestic Chinese airborne early warning and control 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. Il-76MD #76456, 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 enabling it to serve as AEW&C, 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 (190 nmi; 220 mi). One was destroyed on the ground during the 1991 Persian Gulf War; two others were flown to Iran where they remained.[39] At least one went into service with the IRIAF. One aircraft crashed following a midair collision with a HESA Saeqeh fighter, during the annual Iranian military parade in Tehran.[40] It can be distinguished from the Beriev A-50 by having the Il-76 navigator windows in the nose, which the A-50 does not.
Military and civil operators in 38 countries have operated more than 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.
Soviet Air Forces – Largest former operator of the type, with hundreds of aircraft of multiple variants in service. Passed on to successor states.[citation needed]
Aeroflot operated large numbers of aircraft, especially during Soviet years, often on behalf of the Soviet military. However, none remain in service with the airline.
Air STAN operated an Il-76TD.
ALAK operated Il-76 aircraft before its closure in 1999.
Aviaenergo operated the aircraft, but none remain in service.
Continental Airways has operated the Il-76 in the past, but does not do so currently.
Dacono Air has operated the Il-76.
Domodedovo Airlines has operated the Il-76, but none is currently in service.
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.
An Il-76MD that was damaged during the Sknyliv air show disaster on 27 July 2002, during which the Sukhoi Su-27 involved struck a glancing blow against the aircraft's nose before crashing into spectators
As of July 2024, the Aviation Safety Network has tracked 137 incidents involving Il-76 series aircraft resulting in the 1,158 fatalities. 99 have been written off in crashes and other accidents.[66] Some of the most notable incidents can be found here.
On 23 November 1979, a Soviet Air Forces Il-76, registration CCCP-86714, banked left during an approach to Vitebsk Airport. Control of the aircraft was lost and the aircraft crashed, killing the crew of seven; this was the first loss of an Il-76.[67]
Soviet Air Force Ilyushin Il-76 crash. On 18 October 1989, a Soviet Air Force Il-76 (CCCP-76569) crashed in the Caspian Sea off Sumqayit, Azerbaijan following wing separation caused by an engine fire, killing all 57 in Azerbaijan's deadliest air accident. The cause of the engine fire was traced back to a design flaw.[70]
On 24 May 1991, a Metro Cargo Il-76TD (LZ-INK, named Lugano), crashed near Kermanshah Airport while attempting a forced landing following fuel exhaustion, killing four of ten crew.[72]
On 8 July 1993, a Russian Air Force Il-76M (RA-86039) crashed near Pskov Airport due to loss of control following an unexplained in-flight fire, killing the 11 crew.[73]
1995 Airstan Ilyushin Il-76 hijacking. On 3 August 1995 Taliban-controlled fighter aircraft intercepted an Airstan Ilyushin Il-76TD transport aircraft, and held its seven crew members for over a year before escaping.[74][75]
On 19 August 1996, Spair Airlines Flight 3601, an Il-76T, crashed while trying to land at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport following total electrical failure due to pilot error, killing all 11 occupants on board.[76] The crew had forgotten to turn on the AC/DC converter following engine startup.
On 13 July 1998, ATI Aircompany Flight 2570, an Il-76MD (UR-76424), crashed in the sea shortly after takeoff from Ras Al Khaimah International Airport, killing the eight crew. The aircraft was overloaded and the pilot failed to respond to GPWS warnings.[79]
On 17 July 1998, Air Sofia Flight 701, an Il-78 (UR-UCI) struck a hill on approach to Asmara International Airport, killing all ten on board. The aircraft was leased from Ukrainian Cargo Airways.[80]
2003 Ukrainian Cargo Airways Il-76 accident. On 8 May 2003, the rear loading ramp of an Il-76 leased by the Congolese government unexpectedly opened at 10,000 feet after taking off from the capital Kinshasa. Initial reports stated that over 120 policemen and their families had been sucked out in 45 minutes,[83] but 14 people actually died.[84]
On 30 June 2008, an Ababeel Aviation Il-76 crashed while taking off from Khartoum on a relief flight, killing the 4 crew members, the only people on board the plane.[86]
On 2 July 2008, Click Airways Flight 1002, operated using an Ilyushin Il-76TD from Bagram Air Base to Al-Fujairah-Fujairah International Airport, suffered an Uncontained Engine Failure of its no. 3 engine at FL280. The failed engine parts struck the no. 4 engine resulting in its failure, as well as the fuselage and fuel tanks. The flight crew managed to successfully make an emergency landing at Zahedan, Iran. None of the three crew sustained injuries.[87]
2009 Makhachkala Il-76 collision. On 15 January 2009, two Russian Ministry of Interior Il-76MDs were involved in a ground collision at Makhachkala Airport. One of the aircraft, registration RA-76825, was ready to depart and was positioned at the runway end when the other one, RA-76827, came in to land. The wing of the landing aircraft struck the flight deck of RA-76825 and a fire erupted. There were three fatalities in the departing aircraft, out of seven occupants on board. None of the 31 occupants aboard RA-76827 were hurt. RA-76825 was written off as a consequence of the accident.[88][89]
On 9 March 2009, an Aerolift Il-76 (S9-SAB) crashed into Lake Victoria just after takeoff from Entebbe Airport, Uganda, killing all 11 people on board. Two of the engines had caught fire on takeoff. The aircraft was chartered by Dynacorp on behalf of AMISOM. The accident was investigated by Uganda's Ministry of Transport, which concluded that all four engines were time-expired and that Aerolift's claim that maintenance had been performed to extend their service lives and the certification of this work could not be substantiated.[90]
Sun Way Flight 4412. On 28 November 2010, Il-76 4L-GNI crashed in a populated area of Karachi, Pakistan, shortly after taking off from Jinnah International Airport. All eight people on board were killed, along with two people on the ground. The aircraft was reported to have been trying to return to Jinnah after suffering an uncontained engine failure and fire.[95]
Silk Way Airlines Flight 995. On 6 July 2011, an Il-76, tail number 4K-AZ55, crashed into a mountain in Afghanistan, while on final to Bagram Air Force Base. Eight people on board were initially confirmed as killed, with one unaccounted.[96][97]
25 February 2022, during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian State Special Communications Agency and US officials claimed that Russian Il-76s were shot down over Bila Tserkva.[105] As of September 2022, no wreckage of the planes has been found.[106]
4 April 2022, photographs of two destroyed Il-76s from the Ukrainian 25th Transport Aviation Brigade were displayed; these cargo planes were destroyed on the ground by Russian forces at Melitopol Airport.[107]
2023 Gao Ilyushin Il-76 crash. On 23 September 2023, an Il-76 operated by the Malian Armed Forces crashed upon landing at Gao Airport, Mali. According to the French newspaper Le Monde, Malian officials confirmed the aircraft's being owned by the Army and having Wagner Group members on board.[112] The aircraft overshot more than half of the available runway before touching down. For reasons unknown the crew failed to execute a Go-Around in due time which led to the aircraft rolling down the embankment at the end of the runway. The aircraft exploded killing all personnel on board.[113]
On the night of 19–20 October 2023, a Il-76MD military transport plane caught fire during take-off from a military airfield in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan. A wheel exploded on the plane during acceleration, causing a fire to break out. The plane rolled out of the runway and burned down completely. It is known that there were eight people on board. The crew was not injured.[114]
2024 Ivanovo Ilyushin Il-76 crash. On 12 March 2024, an Il-76 crashed in Ivanovo oblast. According to RIA Novosti, the engine caught on fire after the take-off from the Ivanovo air base, and the aircraft crashed when attempting an emergency landing back at the air base. There were eight crew members and seven passengers.[120] All eight crew and seven passengers were killed in the crash.[121]
CCCP-76511 (c/n 083414444) preserved in the Ukraine State Aviation Museum, Kyiv. The aircraft was originally painted as UR-UCI of Ukrainian Cargo Airways to commemorate the real aircraft that crashed in 1998, but was returned to its original Aeroflot livery as CCCP-76511 in 2016.[124]
^Cooper, Tom (2018). Hot Skies Over Yemen, Volume 2: Aerial Warfare Over the South Arabian Peninsula, 1994-2017. Warwick, UK: Helion & Company Publishing. pp. 33, I. ISBN978-1-911628-18-7.
^"2012 Ilyushin 76T Accident". Accident description. aviation-safety.net. 30 November 2012. Archived from the original on 4 December 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
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