Indian Military

Capable of delivering nuclear weapons, the Jaguars were first inducted into the IAF from Britain in 1979 and subsequently manufactured by HAL under licence to meet a requirement for a deep penetration strike aircraft

(DPSA), the Jaguar has served with the IAF for over 20 years with the first of 18 'on loan' aircraft from the Royal Air Force (RAF) entering service in July 1979. These consisted of 16 Jaguar GR.1 (Interim) and 2 Jaguar T.2 (Interim) aircraft. Two of these aircraft were lost in service and one aircraft was used for research & development of the DARIN avionics suite and the installation of the over-wing MATRA Magic air-to-air missile. The IAF received its first of 35 Jaguar IS and 5 Jaguar IB aircraft in 1981 from BAe and the remaining RAF aircraft were returned during 1982 - 1984, with one of the trainers being sold to Oman by either BAe or the RAF. Licensed production at HAL, saw the IAF receiving another 58 Jaguar IS, 10 Jaguar IB and 12 Jaguar IM maritime attack aircraft. An additional 15 strike aircraft were ordered in 1993 and the last three aircraft were delivered to the IAF by 1999. Some sources suggest that these aircraft are actually a combination of strike and maritime attack variants. French and Israeli companies are also part of the upgradation programme. Advanced radars, navigation, weapon and electronic warfare systems and precision-guided munitions have been fitted with these deep penetration aircraft which are poised to augment the capabilities of the blue force.

Design and Development

The Jaguar program began in the early 1960s, in response to a British requirement (AST 362) for an advanced supersonic jet trainer to replace the Folland Gnat T.1 and Hawker Hunter T.7, and a French need for a cheap, subsonic dual role trainer and light attack aircraft with good short field performance to replace the Fouga Magister, T-33 Shooting Star and Dassault Mystère IV. After development started, both the French and British trainer requirement changed and were eventually fulfilled instead by the Alpha Jet and Hawker Siddeley Hawk respectively. In the meantime, the RAF created a new requirement for the Jaguar, to replace the Phantom FGR.2 in the close air support, tactical reconnaissance and tactical strike roles. In addition, a carrier-capable version to replace the French Aeronavale's Dassault Etendard IV was specified. From these apparently disparate aims would come a single and entirely different aircraft: relatively high-tech, supersonic, and optimised for ground attack in a high-threat environment. . Cross-channel negotiations led to the formation of SEPECAT (Société Européenne de Production de l'Avion d'École de Combat et d'Appui Tactique - the European company for the production of a combat trainer and tactical support aircraft) in 1966 as a joint venture between Bréguet—now Dassault Aviation—and the British Aircraft Corporation to produce the airframe, and a separate teaming of Rolls-Royce and Turboméca to develop the Adour afterburning turbofan engine. Though based in part on the Breguet Br.121, using the same basic configuration and an innovative French designed landing gear, the Jaguar as built also incorporated major elements designed by BAC - notably the wing and high lift devices. The first of eight prototypes flew on September 8, 1968. It was an orthodox single-seat, swept-wing, twin-engine design but with tall landing gear. It had a maximum take-off weight in the 15 tonne class and could manage a combat radius on internal fuel alone of 850 km. Maximum speed was Mach 1.6 (Mach 1.1 at sea level) and hardpoints were fitted for an external weapons load of up to 10,000 lb (4,500 kg).

Contracts have been signed with French (Sextant) and Israeli (Elta) companies to upgrade the avionics of the 'strike' Jaguars and the 35 BAe-built, NAVWASS-equipped Jaguars will be the first batch of aircraft to undergo the upgrade. These aircraft will also be fitted with a MIL-STD-1553B digital databus, like the HAL-built aircraft, and have bus-compatible line-replaceable units.

Apart from this, all IAF Jaguars will receive the same upgrades. Some piecemeal modifications, however have already been incorporated. The Composite Material Research Laboratory (CMRL) in Hyderabad reportedly developed 'stealth' enhancements for fighter aircraft and these had been test flown on a Jaguar, producing a 70% reduction in radar cross-section (RCS) for a 110 lb (50 kg) weight penalty. It was reported that the modifications were being adopted on a number of combat aircraft and two Jaguar strike squadrons are among them.

There is expected to be an addition of the wide-angle holographic El-Op HUD with a field of view of 30º x 22º (compared to the current HUD's 22º x 18º) and compatible with FLIR or raster video imagery. Jaguar is also receiving a new head down display which will be capable of displaying a digital moving map, forward looking infra-red (FLIR) or video imagery, and perhaps even electronic checklists and terminal approach plates. Consequently, a new Sextant MFD 66 active matrix liquid crystal display is to replace the projected map display fitted to NAVWASS-equipped Jaguars and the COMED fitted to the DARIN-equipped Jaguars. There is also a new video-based HUD camera (replacing a film-based camera) and a multi-channel digital video color recorder which will allow the HUD, moving map display and other imagery to be recorded simultaneously. Navigational accuracy will be enhanced through the addition of an INS-RLG with embedded GPS and later perhaps, by the addition of a terrain reference navigation system (TRNS).

The modifications are thought to be only the first phase of what may be a multi-stage upgrade. The second phase could include the long-planned replacement radar for the maritime variant, new stores management system, new utility services management system and new central warning panel, plus fleet wide 'stealth' radar cross-section reduction measures. A third phase would include installation of carbon brakes, FADEC (full authority digital engine control), new air data system, and escape system improvements - notably a new parachute in the ejection seat. These upgrades are expected to keep the Jaguar in service well beyond 2010 (probably even up to 2020), with further new-build aircraft augmenting the existing aircraft.

Operational History

India

By the mid-80s, the Jaguar was in service with Nos. 5, 14, 16 and 27 Squadrons while a flight of No.6 Squadron was equipped with the Maritime Jaguar carrying the new generation Sea Eagle anti-ship sea-skimming missile. The Jaguar strike fighter was equipped also with Magic air-to-air missiles on unique overwing pylons, featured advanced nay-attack systems and able to carry formidable warload till the far ends of the sub-continent.Jaguars saw service during Kargil War with the Indian Air Force.

The Jaguars were the first type of Indian aircraft that had flown overseas. The Indian Air Force deployed them in an overseas exercise, Cope Thunder in Alaska, USA.

Nine upgraded twin-seater Jaguar fighters were inducted into Indian Air Force (IAF) on 15 July 2005 at a ceremony held at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bangalore. Defence Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee handed over the aircraft to Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi. The aircraft were upgraded by HAL.

Abroad

The Jaguar saw combat during the first Gulf War of 1991, with the Armée de l'Air and RAF, the Balkan wars with the RAF and the Kosovo War with the Armée de l'Air. However, during the 1991 Gulf War, the RAF Jaguars were "paired" with Buccaneers, which had already been upgraded with TIALD.

The Ecuadorian Air Force, the only American export customer used them mainly for ground attack roles and ocassionaly for air superiority duties during the Cenepa War with Peru in 1995, but the main part of the fleet was held on reserve in case of a wider conflict with the Peruvians.

The RAF Jaguar aircraft flew their last operational sorties on April 30, 2007 when it ceased to be a deployable force element and when No.6 Squadron "down-declared", though flying continued. At least two aircraft continued to fly with QinetiQ at Boscombe Down after No.6 Squadron's withdrawal. On 20 December 2007, a Jaguar undertook the last ever British military Jaguar flight.

Replacement

The aircraft has been updated several times and remains in front-line service with India.India plans to replace its Jaguar fleet with the Medium Combat Aircraft under development by HAL/ADA consortium.

India is modernizing its current Jaguar fleet and also placed an order for 37 additional upgraded Jaguar aircrafts from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in 1999. The Medium Combat Aircraft (MCA) is expected to enter mass production in 2015 and will replace India's Jaguar fleet. The Indian Air Force, which operates two different types of Rolls Royce/Turbomeca engines, Mk804E and Mk811 (produced under license by HAL) will possibly be upgrading their Mk811 engines to the Mk821 which will combine a number of thrust and reliability improvements gained from the RAF Jaguar experience in the last 5 years. This will allow the Indian Air Force to have a more capable aircraft at medium and high level sortie profiles where most of the flying is carried out. The engines may also share similar components to the Adour Mk871 which has been fitted to the Indian Air Force Hawk supplied by BAES.

Variants

Indian

• Jaguar IS : Single-seat all-weather tactical strike, ground-attack fighter for the Indian Air Force, 35 built by BAe and 99 built by HAL.
• Jaguar IT : Two-seat training version for the Indian Air Force, 3 built by BAe and 29 built by HAL.
• Jaguar IM : Single-seat maritime anti-shipping aircraft for the Indian Air Force. Fitted with Agave radar and capable of carrying Sea Eagle anti-ship missile, 12 built.

Foreign

• Jaguar A : Single-seat all-weather tactical strike, ground-attack fighter version for the French Air Force, two prototypes and 160 production aircraft built.
• Jaguar B or Jaguar T.Mk 2 : Two-seat training version for the RAF, one prototype and 38 production aircraft built.
  • Jaguar T.Mk 2A : Jaguar T.Mk 2 upgrade similar to GR.Mk 1A (see below), 14 conversions from T2.
  • Jaguar T.Mk 2B : two Jaguar T.Mk 2A aircraft given TIALD capability.
  • Jaguar T.Mk 4 : Jaguar T.Mk 2A upgraded to Jaguar 96 standard.
• Jaguar E : Two-seat training version for the French Air Force, two prototypes and 40 production aircraft built.
• Jaguar S or Jaguar GR.Mk 1 : Single-seat all-weather tactical strike, ground-attack fighter version for the RAF, 165 built.
  • Jaguar GR.Mk 1A : Jaguar GR.Mk 1 with navigation, chaff/flare, ECM and Sidewinder capability upgrades, 75 conversions from GR1.
  • Jaguar GR.Mk 1B : Ten GR.Mk 1 aircraft modified to carry TIALD pods.
  • Jaguar GR.Mk 3 : Jaguar 96 avionics upgrade to GR.Mk 1A/B.
  • Jaguar GR.Mk 3A : Jaguar 97 avionics upgrade to GR.Mk 3.

• Jaguar M : Single-seat naval strike prototype for the French Navy, one built.
• Jaguar Active Control Technology : One Jaguar converted into a research aircraft.
• Jaguar International : Export versions based on either the Jaguar S or Jaguar B.
  • Jaguar ES : Export version of the Jaguar S for the Ecuadorian Air Force, ten built.
  • Jaguar EB : Export version of the Jaguar B for the Ecuadorian Air Force, two built.
  • Jaguar OS : Export version of the Jaguar S for the Royal Air Force of Oman, 20 built.
  • Jaguar OB : Export version of the Jaguar B for the Royal Air Force of Oman, 4 built
  • Jaguar SN : Export version of the Jaguar S for the Nigerian Air Force, 13 built
  • Jaguar BN : Export version of the Jaguar B for the Nigerian Air Force, five built.

Specifications

General characteristics

• Crew: One
• Length: 16.83 m (55 ft 3 in)
• Wingspan: 8.69 m (28 ft 6 in)
• Height: 4.92 m (16 ft 1 in)
• Wing area: 24 m² (258 ft²)
• Empty weight: 7,000 kg (15,400 lb)
• Loaded weight: 11,000 kg (24,250 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 15,700 kg (34,600 lb)
• Powerplant: 2× Rolls-Royce/Turbomeca Adour Mk 102 turbofans, 32.5 kN (7,305 lbf) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 1,593 km/h or 1055 miles/h (Mach 1.6)
• Range: 535 km combat, 3,525 km ferry (335 mi / 2,190 mi)
• Service ceiling: 14,000 m (46,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: m/s (ft/min)
• Wing loading: kg/m² (lb/ft²)
• Thrust/weight: 0.60

Armament

• Guns: 2× 30 mm (1.18 in) ADEN cannons OR DEFA cannons, 150 rounds/gun
• Rockets: 8× Matra rocket pods with 18× SNEB 68 mm rockets each
• Missiles: 2× AIM-9 Sidewinders OR Matra R550 Magics on overwing pylons (Jaguar International and RAF Jaguars only)
• Bombs: 10,000 lb (4,540 kg) of payload on five external hardpoints, including a variety of bombs, reconnaissance pods (such as the Joint Reconnaissance Pod), Drop tanks or the Anglo-French AS-37 Martel missiles

Operators

India

• Indian Air Force
  • No. 5 Squadron 'Tuskers', IAF Ambala ( Jaguar IS, IB ) from August 1981
  • No. 6 Squadron 'Dragons', IAF Jamnagar ( Jaguar IM, IS, IB ) from 1987
  • No. 14 Squadron 'Bulls', IAF Ambala ( Jaguar IS, IB ) from March 1981
  • No. 16 Squadron 'Rattlers', IAF Gorakhpur ( Jaguar IS, IB ) from October 1986
  • No. 27 Squadron 'Flaming Arrows', IAF Gorakhpur ( Jaguar IS, IB ) from June 1985

Ecuador

• Ecuadorian Air Force - all now in storage awaiting sale
  • Escuadron de Combate 2111 'Aguilas' (Eagles)

France

• Armée de l'Air - all withdrawn
  • Escadron de Chasse 1/7 'Provence' at St Dizier
  • Escadron de Chasse 2/7 'Argonne' at St Dizier
  • Escadron de Chasse 3/7 'Languedoc' at St Dizier
  • Escadron de Chasse 4/7 'Limousin' at St Dizier
  • Escadron de Chasse 1/11 'Roussillon' at Toul
  • Escadron de Chasse 2/11 'Vosges' at Toul
  • Escadron de Chasse 3/11 'Corse' at Toul
  • Escadron de Chasse 4/11 'Jura' at Toul (1978-1992)
  • Escadron de Chasse 3/3 'Ardennes' at Mérignac (1977-1987)

Nigeria(retired)

• Nigerian Air Force (13 Jaguar SNs & 5 Jaguar BNs)(75 Strike Group?, Makurdi, 1984-91, now retired)

Oman

• Royal Air Force of Oman (20 Jaguar OSs & 4 Jaguar OBs)
  • No. 8 Squadron RAFO at RAFO Thumrayt
  • No. 20 Squadron RAFO at RAFO Thumrayt

United Kingdom

• Royal Air Force - all withdrawn
  • No. 2 Squadron 1976-1988 at RAF Laarbruch (strike/recce)
  • No. 6 Squadron at RAF Coltishall, later RAF Coningsby(attack)
  • No. 14 Squadron 1974-1985 at RAF Bruggen (strike)
  • No. 16 (Reserve) Squadron at RAF Lossiemouth, later Coltishall (OCU)
  • No. 17 Squadron 1975-1985 at RAF Bruggen (strike)
  • No. 20 Squadron 1977-1984 at RAF Bruggen (strike)
  • No. 31 Squadron 1976-1984 at RAF Bruggen (strike)
  • No. 41 Squadron at RAF Coltishall (recce/attack)
  • No. 54 Squadron at RAF Coltishall (attack)
  • No. 226 Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Lossiemouth (OCU)
  • Jaguar Conversion Team at RAF Lossiemouth (initial OCU)

Jaguar Videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avbIcbCG5Rs

The Ilyushin IL-78 (NATO reporting name Midas) is based on (or converted from) the airframe of the IL-76MD military freighter, this aerial refueling tanker aircraft entered service in 1987 to replace the elderly and incapable Myasishchev M-4 "Bison". Indian Airforce operates its own version of this aircraft designated the IL78MKI.

Defence Minister Jaswant Singh, in a written reply to Parliament in July 2001, said the IAF is acquiring six IL-78/78M in-flight refueling aircraft from Uzbekistan. The price negotiation committee completed its work in February 2001 and the contracts were signed in April 2001. The price per aircraft has been put at approximately $50 million.

Design and Development

The IL-76MD tanker was conceived as long ago as 1968, but the transferable fuel load for the initial version was only 10 tonnes, which was insufficient, and development was shelved. When the higher performance IL-76MD became available, the tanker project was re-started, as the Il-78, in 1982. In addition to the increased fuel load of the late model IL-76MD, the Il-78 has two, removeable, 18,230 l fuel tanks installed in the freight hold, giving a transferable load of 85,720 kg (188,584 lb) with hold tanks and 57,720 kg (126,984 lb) without hold tanks. Controlled from the Gunners cockpit, which is stripped of military equipment, three aircraft may refuel in flight, simultaneously, from the UPAZ-1A (Il-78) / UPAZ-1M (Il-78M) refuelling pods fitted to the outer wings and rear fuselage. In addition four aircraft can also be refuelled on the ground using conventional refuelling hoses extending from the freight hold. Due to the high weights after take-off, which, in an emergency, would mean landing at weights well in excess of maximum allowable landing weight, the Il-78 has a fuel jettison system, with jettison ports at the wingtips.

Soon after the Il-78 passed acceptance tests, in 1984, Ilyushin were instructed to design and produce an upgraded version to be known as Il-78M. The Il-78M is a dedicated tanker and cannot be converted back to the transport role easily. Adding a third freight hold tank increases the transferrable fuel to 105,720 kg (233,070 lb),and the Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) to 210,000 kg ,which required the wing torsion box to be strengthened. Fitted with the improved UPAZ-1M refuelling pods, the maximum fuel flow was increased to 2,340 l/min (514.8 Imp gal/min). Because the Il-78M is not "convertible" all cargo handling equipment is removed and cargo doors deleted, saving approximately 5,000 kg in structural weight.

Early versions of the Il-78 have the fuselage pod mounted on a short horizontal pylon, but the Il-78M has the fuselage pod suspended from an identical pylon to the wing pods, attached to a short stub wing, this modification was carried out to isolate the pod from turbulence generated by the fuselage, with the added benefit of commonality with the wing pod/pylon combination. Il-78s were produced with Aeroflot colours and civilian registrations, but production Il-78Ms received military markings, registration and colour scheme.

The majority of the twenty Il-78 aircraft on the strength of the Ukrainian Air Force have been permanently converted to pure transports by removal of freight hold tanks and refuelling equipment.

Il-78MKI is a customized variant of the Il-78ME for the Indian Air Force. These Uzbekistan-built planes are fitted with Israeli fuel transferring systems and can refuel 6-8 Sukhoi sukhoi-su-30mki in one mission.

Units

Operational History

The first two Il-78s arrived in India in the first half of 2003 and are believed to be part of a newly raised No.78 "Battle Cry" Squadron. We should however mention that the information on the Squadron is yet to be confirmed by official sources. The Il-78MKI as it was designated in the IAF made its first public appearance in the Air Force Day Parade on 8th October 2003. It is evident from photographs that the Il-78s had carried out operations with the sukhoi-su-30mki and various variants of the Jaguar family.

Specifications

Type: Heavy Lift transport.

Accommodation: Six.

Capacity: 138,000 kg (304,233 lb) of fuel Length: 46.59 m (152 ft 10 in)

Wingspan: 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in)

Height: 14.76 m (37 ft 1 in)

Wing area: 300 m² (3,230 ft²)

Empty weight: 72,000 kg (202,821 lb)

Useful load: 85,720 kg (188,980 lb)

Max takeoff weight: 210,000 kg (462,962 lb)

Powerplant: 4× Aviadvigatel D-30 KP turbofan engines, 118 kN (26,500 lbf) each

Special equipment: 3 x UPAZ-1M 'Sakhalin', (oonifitseerovannyy podvesnoy agregaht zaprahvki - standardised suspended refuelling unit), refuelling pods; Two on pylons under the outer wings, and the third on the port side of the rear fuselage. Possibly replaced by Israeli Pods on the MKI.

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

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

The IAI EL/M-2075 Phalcon is an Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) radar system developed by Israeli Aircraft Industries (IAI) and Elta Electronics Industries of Israel. Its primary objective is to provide intelligence to maintain air superiority and conduct surveillance. According to the Federation of American Scientists in a 2009 article, the Phalcon was the most advanced AEW&C system in the world. 

The system is currently in-service with four countries — Israel, India, Chile and Singapore.

Design and features

Previous version of Israeli AF Gulfstream G500 Eitam

The EL/M-2075 is a solid-state L-band conformal array radar system for use on a Boeing 707 and other aircraft. Phalcon, as the complete AEW mission suite is referred to, is intended for airborne early warning, tactical surveillance of airborne and surface targets and intelligence gathering. It also integrates the command and control capabilities needed to employ this information. The system uses six panels of phased-array elements: two on each side of the fuselage, one in an enlarged nosecone and one under the tail. Each array consists of 768 liquid-cooled, solid-state transmitting and receiving elements, each of which is weighted in phase and amplitude. These elements are driven by individual modules and every eight modules are connected to a transmit/receive group. Groups of 16 of these eight module batches are linked back to what is described as a prereceive/transmit unit, and a central six-way control is used to switch the pre-transmit/receive units of the different arrays on a time division basis. As used in its Chilean Boeing 707-based application, the lateral fairings measured approximately 12 × 2 m and were mounted on floating beds to prevent airframe flexing degrading the radar accuracy. Each array scans a given azimuth sector, providing a total coverage of 360°. Scanning is carried out electronically in both azimuth and elevation. Radar modes include high PRF search and full track, track-while-scan, a slow scan detection mode for hovering and low-speed helicopters (using rotor blade returns) and a low PRF ship detection mode. Instead of using a rotodome, a moving radar found on some AEW&C aircraft, the Phalcon uses the Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA), an active phased array radar. This radar consists of an array transmit/receive (T/R) modules that allow a beam to be electronically steered, making a physically rotating rotodome unnecessary. AESA radars operate on a pseudorandom set of frequencies and also have very short scanning rates, which makes them difficult to detect and jam. Up to 100 targets can be tracked simultaneously to a range of 200 nm (370 km), while at the same time, over a dozen air-to-air interception or air-to-ground attack can be guided. The radar can be mounted on the an aircraft's fuselage or on the top inside a small dome. Either position gives the radar 360 degree coverage. The phased array radar allows positions of aircraft on operator screens to be updated every 2-4 seconds, rather than every 20-40 seconds as is the case on the rotodome AWACS. 

Platforms

The system can be fitted to a number of aircraft, including the Boeing 707, Boeing 767, Boeing 747, Airbus series aircraft, Gulfstream G550 and Ilyushin Il-76. Under a contract signed with Chile in 1989, the first Phalcon system to be installed was fitted to a former LanChile Boeing 707, and was first flown in 1993 In May 1994 the aircraft was delivered to the Chilean Air Force, where it is known as the Condor.

Operational history

The Israeli Air Force has purchased 3 Gulfstream G550 aircraft to serve as the new IDF platform for its new generation of AEW systems. The system is called Eitam. Extensive modifications made to the Gulfstream's fuselage, such as the addition of protruding composite radomes, are intended to allow for the housing of the radar arrays. In 2007, 4 similar G550-Phalcon aircraft were also purchased by the Republic of Singapore Air Force, to eventually replace its upgraded E-2C Hawkeyes. All 4 G550s are expected to be in-service by 2010.

China's purchase of the Phalcon system in 2000 was denied due to pressure from the United States.

Sale to India

In March 2004, Israel and India signed a US$1.1 billion deal according to which IAI would deliver the Indian Air Force three Phalcon AEW&C radar systems. India signed a separate deal with the Ilyushin Corporation of Russia for the of supply three Il-76 A-50 heavy air-lifters, which were to be used as platforms for these radar systems, for an additional US $500 million.

In November 2007, Indian defense officials said that there were significant delays in the supply of the Russian Il-76 platform and the induction of the radar was now postponed to 2009-10. In June 2008, media reports suggested that India and Israel were about to sign a deal for three additional Phalcon radars.

India received its first AWACS on 25th May 2009. It landed in Jamnagar AFB in Gujarat completing its 8 hour long journey from Israel. 

Operators

An operational G550 CAEW of 111 Squadron, Republic of Singapore Air Force on display at Singapore Air Show 2010

• Israel - Three newer variants with EL/W-2085 dual band radar ("Eitam") in service on Gulfstream G550 platforms. Older variants on Boeing 707 Platforms are also in service.
• India - One in Service & two ordered on an Il-76 platform. IAF is keen to induct a total of six aircraft.
• Chile - One in service on a Boeing 707 platform.
• Singapore - Four ordered on Gulfstream G550 platform. Each costing approx USD 375 million

Comparable systems

• Boeing 737 AEW&C