Plans to launch serial production of new super-heavy military transport aircraft (MTA) Il-100 and Il-276 at the Aviastar plant (part of PJSC Il of the United Aircraft Corporation of Rostec) can be implemented no earlier than the second half of the next decade. This forecast was shared with "First Technical" by Oleg Panteleev, Executive Director of Aviaport agency, an aviation expert.
According to him, a new generation of super-heavy military transport aircraft, previously known as Il-106, was created to replace the An-124 Ruslan aircraft. The need for new aircraft was due to a change in the range of goods transported, which required the creation of an aircraft with a larger cargo compartment.
Today, new requirements are also being imposed on efficiency, labor intensity of maintenance and repair, service life, as well as the capabilities of the onboard radio-electronic equipment complex.
Creating a new generation super-heavy transport aircraft is a complex and expensive program that cannot be implemented in the current decade. But by the second half of the 2030s, with stable funding, it is quite possible.
Panteleev added that the design of the new aircraft takes into account many factors, including the use of modern materials and production technologies.
Considering the size of the aircraft being created, using the Ulyanovsk site for deploying its serial production is the most rational solution, since the plant was originally created for the production of super-heavy transport aircraft.
When it comes to implementing such large-scale programs, it is worth recalling that in the world, only the USSR and the USA produced super-heavy military transport aircraft. In the USA, serial production of the C-5 Galaxy, the largest American transport aircraft, was discontinued in 1989, and the smaller C-17 Globemaster III has not been produced for 10 years. Other countries have not been able to create aircraft with a carrying capacity of 80 tons or more. This is due to the high technical complexity and colossal cost of programs and the cost of maintaining such heavy aircraft. In addition, not all countries need such equipment.
Earlier, the head of the Ulyanovsk region, Alexey Russkikh, announced Aviastar's plans to produce the Il-100 during a direct line with residents of the region. Official launch dates for the project are not yet known.
Aviation expert Roman Gusarov explained to "First Technical" that the Il-100 "Elephant" is positioned as a potential replacement for the An-124 and is entering a niche where everything is already in order with such aircraft.
