The Indian Air Force has revised its plans to acquire the Russian Il-76MD-90A military transport aircraft. This decision is due to the need to update the aging fleet of previous Il-76 modifications, scheduled for decommissioning by 2035.
The Russian platform was excluded due to persistent concerns about its operational readiness level, which does not meet the Air Force's established threshold of 75% for the transport fleet.
In this situation, despite the Russian offer for the Il-76MD-90A, the Air Force leadership is exploring other options, including the Airbus A400M Atlas, to secure medium military transport aircraft and strategic airlift capabilities.
Currently, the Indian Air Force operates 17 Il-76 aircraft, which were purchased from the USSR in the early 1980s.
The Il-76MD-90A is a heavy military transport aircraft, a deep modernization of the Il-76. It is designed to transport troops, heavy oversized equipment and cargo, as well as to airdrop personnel, equipment and cargo by parachute and landing methods.
Technical characteristics of the Il-76MD-90A aircraft:
- Dimensions: length — 46.6 m, wingspan — 50.5 m, height — 14.7 m, wing area — 300 m².
- Weight: maximum take-off weight — 210 t, empty weight — 88.5 t.
- Payload: up to 60 t.
- Fuel volume: 109,000 l.
- Engines: 4 × PS-90A-76.
- Speed: cruising — 780–850 km/h, minimum — 220 km/h.
- Flight range: with a load of 60 t — 4000 km, with a load of 48 t — 5500 km, with a load of 40 t — 6500 km, with a load of 20 t — 8500 km, without load — 9700 km.
- Crew: 5 people.
- Cargo cabin size: length — 24.54 m, width — 3.45 m, height — 3.4 m, volume — 321 m³.
- Aircraft life: 30 years, 10,000 landings, 30,000 hours.
Earlier, www1 reported that a long-range anti-submarine aircraft Tu-142 issued target designation for the hypersonic missile "Zircon"
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