Known as the Gajraj (King Elephant) in the IAF, the IL-76MD forms the strategic/heavy transport fleet. An estimated 28 aircraft are in service in two squadrons. Deliveries to the IAF began in 1985 and they were used in the Maldives in 1987 during Operation cactus and in Sri Lanka during 1987-1990 intervention to great effect. In 1990, two IL-76MDs were modified and their objective was to test the system's effectiveness to divert fire power of heat seeking air/surface-to-air missiles, shoulder-fired guns, and also jamming of radar by dispensing chaff around the aircraft.
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.
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 nmi; 3,100 mi) 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. It first flew on March 25, 1971.
Production of Il-76s was placed in Tashkent, Uzbekistan (then a republic of the Soviet Union). Some 860 of the basic transport variants were made. In the 1990s, modernized variants were developed (MF, TF), with a cargo compartment sized 20 m (length) x 3.4 m (width) x 3.4 m (height), but were not produced in significant quantity due to financial problems of the major user, the Russian Air Force. The prototype of the longer variant Il-76MF, with bigger capacity, first flew on 1 August 1995. The production ceased around 1997, and the factory since deteriorated. Some commercial aircraft were modernized to the IL-76TD-90VD version, starting from 2004, using new PS-90 engines to meet European noise limits. In 2005, China ordered in Russia 34 new Il-76MD's and 4 Il-78 tankers, and the factory in Tashkent completed 16 incomplete airframes. Production of the IL-76 at a new factory in Ulyanovsk in Russia, in cooperation with Tashkent works, is under consideration.
Units
| Squadron number |
Unit type |
Nickname |
Motto |
English Translation of the Motto | Raised On |
First Type |
Current Type |
Location |
| Squadron 25 | Squadron | Himalayan Eagles |
Satvadeena hi Sidhvayah | In power lies victory | 1st March 1963 | An-12 | An-12/IL-76 |
Chandigarh |
| Squadron 44 | Squadron |
Mighty Jets |
Ishtam Yatnen Sadhyet |
Achieve goals through perseverance |
6th April 1961 |
An-12 |
IL-76 | Sonegao |
Operational History
First aircraft were delivered to the Soviet Air Force in June 1974. It next became main Soviet strategic transport aircraft. From 1976 it was operated by the Aeroflot lines. 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. Building on that experience, the bulk of the Canadian Forces equipment into Afghanistan is flown in using civilian Il-76. As of 2006, the Russian Air Force had some 200 Il-76s, less than half airworthy, and civilian users in Russia have 108.
The Il-78 Midas is also in use as an airborne tanker, otherwise known as a refueller (Il-78, some 50 were made), and a waterbomber. Indian Air Force also operates 6 IL-78MKI variants. Its airframe was used as a base for the Beriev A-50 'Mainstay' AWACS aircraft (some 25 were made). Still more applications have been found in Antarctic support flights and simulated weightlessness training for cosmonauts. Beriev and NPO Almaz also developed an airborne laser flying laboratory designated A-60, of which two were built, although little is known about it, as the project is still classified. Indian AIr Force operates the Israeli phalcon AWACS carried on the IL-76 frame.
Maldives Coup(Operation Cactus)
The 1988 Maldives Coup, whose rescue efforts were code-named Operation Cactus by the Indian armed forces, was the attempt by a group of Maldivians led by Abdullah Luthufi and assisted by about 80 armed mercenaries of a Sri Lankan secessionist organisation, People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), to overthrow the government of the island republic of Maldives. The coup was foiled after Indian forces were invited by the Maldivian government to intervene.On November 3, 1988, the Indian Air Force paratroopers were flown to the islands of Maldives in Il-76MD to foil an attempt to overthrow the government on the Republic Of Maldives after help was requested by the government of Maldives to India.
About 80 armed PLOTE mercenaries landed on Malé before dawn aboard speedboats from a freighter. Disguised as visitors, a similar number had already infiltrated Malé earlier. Although the mercenaries quickly gained control of the capital they failed to capture President Gayoom, who fled from house to house and asked for military intervention from India, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi immediately dispatched 1,600 troops by air to restore order in Malé.
The operation started on the night of November 3, 1988, as the Indian Air Force airlifted a parachute battalion group from Agra on IL-76 of 44 squadron of IAF and flew them non-stop over 2,000 kilometres (1,240 mi) to Maldives. The Indian paratroopers landed at Hulhule and secured the airfield and restored the Government rule at Malé within hours. Those unable to reach the ship in time were quickly rounded up. Nineteen people reportedly died in the fighting, and several taken hostage also died.
Hurricane Katrina
On August 29, 2005, the day before the levees of New Orleans gave way to the forces of Hurricane Katrina,India used an Il-76 to deliver aid on September 13, 2005 for Katrina victims. The IAF crew arrived at Boston Logan International Airporton 13th September 2005.
The Russian Federation also 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.
Variants
Prototypes and Development Variants
- Izdeliye-176 - prototype Il-76PP.
- Izdeliye-576 -
- Izdeliye-676 - Telemetry and communications relay aircraft, for use during trial programmes, (prototype).
- Izdeliye-776 - Telemetry and communications relay aircraft, for use during trial programmes, (prototype).
- IZdeliye-976 (SKIP) - (СКИП - Самолетный Контрольно-Измерительный Пункт, Airborne Check-Measure-and-Control Center) - Il-76/A-50 based Range Control and Missile tracking platform. Initially built to support Raduga Kh-55 cruise missile tests.
- Izdeliye-1076 - Special mission aircraft for unknown duties.
- Izdeliye-1176 - ELINT electronic intelligence aircraft, a.k.a.Il-76-11
- Il-76TD-90 / Il-76MD-90 Engine upgrades to Perm PS-90's.
- Il-76 firebomber - Fire-fighting aircraft to drop exploding capsules filled with fire retardant.
- Il-76PSD - SAR version of Il-76MF
- Il-96 - Early development of convertible passenger/cargo aircraft, (project only, designation re-used later)
- Il-150 - proposed Beriev A-50 with Perm PS-90 engines.
- Beriev A-60 - Airborne laser weapon testbed. (Il-76 version 1A)
Military variants
- Il-76-Tu160 tailplane transporter - One-off temporary conversion to support Tu-160 emergency modification programme.
- Il-76D - ('D' for "Desantnyi", Десантный - "Paratrooper transport") has a gun turret in the tail for defensive purposes.
- Il-76K / Il-76MDK/Il-76MDK-II - Zero-g trainer "Vomit Comet" ((dlya podgotovki) kosmonavtov)
- Il-76LL - Engine testbed, (ooniversahl'naya letayuschchaya laboratoriya).
- 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 m's and MD's (Gordon - 'Falsies')
- Il-76MD-90 - An Il-76MD with silenced and more economical Aviadvigatel PS-90 engines.
- Il-76MF - Stretched military version with 6.6m longer fuselage, PS-90 engines, maximum take-off mass 210 t and lift capability of 60 tonnes. First flew in 1995, not built in series so far.
- Il-76MKD - Zero-gravity training aircraft for Yuri Gagarin Cosmonauts Training Center.
- Il-76PP - ECM aircraft, major problems with ECM equipment, Izdeliye-176 only.
- Il-76MD PS - Maritime Search and Rescue aircraft, (poiskovo-spasahtel'nyy).
- Il-76T/Il-76TD - Built as military aircraft but given civilian designations. (Gordon - 'Falsie')
- Il-78 / Il-78M / IL-78MKI - Aerial refuelling tanker.
- Il-82 - Airborne Command Post/communications relay aircraft, (alternative designation - Il-76VKP-'version65S').
- Beriev A-50/Beriev A-50M/Beriev A-50I/Beriev A-50E - Airborne Early Warning & Control aircraft. Beriev given control over the program.
- Il-76MD Tanker - Iraqi Tanker conversion.
- Il-76 Phalcon - For the Indian Air Force. Hosts Phalcon radar for AWACS and more silent and efficient Aviadvigatel PS-90 engines.
- KJ-2000 - Chinese AWACS conversion of Il-76, developed after Russian A-50I was cancelled and currently in service with the armed forces of China. Equipped with an active phased array (AESA) radar and arranged in the same way as that of A-50I.
Civil Variants
- Il-76MGA - Initial Commercial freighter. (2 prototypes and 12 production)
- 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 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.
- 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-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).
Specifications
General characteristics
- Crew: 5–7
- Capacity: 40,000 kg (Il-76)
- 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)(159,000 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 157,000 kg (Il-76)(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,) Mach 0.82-1.17 groundspeed depending on altitude
- Range: 3,650 km (Il-76) with max payload
- Service ceiling: 13,000 m (42,700 ft)
- Rate of climb: m/s (ft/min)
- Wing loading: 566.7 kg/m² (Il-76M/T(116.05 lb/ft² (Il-76M/T), 129.72 lb/ft² (Il-76MD/TD))
- Thrust/weight: 0.305 (Il-76)
- Minimal landing run: 450 m with thrust reversal
Armament
- Guns: 2× 23 mm cannon in radar-directed manned turret at base of tail
Payload
- 48,000 kg for the Il-76M/T, 50,000 kg for the Il-76MD/TD and 60,000 kg for the Il-76MF/TF
- 92,000 kg (Il-76MD/TD), 104,000 kg (Il-76MF/TF)
- for other models: 170,000 kg (Il-76M/T), 190,000 kg IL-76MD/TD), 210,000 kg (Il-76MF/TF)
- 4,000 km (Il-76M/T), 4,400 km (Il-76MD/TD), 4,200 km (Il-76MF/TF)
- 633.3 kg/m² (Il-76MD/TD)
- 0.282 (Il-76M/T), 0.252 (IL-76MD/TD), 0.228 (Il-76MF/TF)
Related Development
- Beriev A-50 'Mainstay'
- Ilyushin Il-78 Midas
- EL/M-2075 Phalcon Airborne Early Warning And Control System(AWACS)
Comparable aircraft
- C-141 Starlifter
- C-17 Globemaster III
- Antonov An-70
