Il-76
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Ilyushin Il-76 (russian: Илью́шин Ил-76;
NATO reporting name NATO reporting names are code names for military equipment from Russia, China, and historically, the Eastern Bloc (Soviet Union and other nations of the Warsaw Pact). They provide unambiguous and easily understood English words in a uniform man ...
: Candid) is a multi-purpose, fixed-wing, four-engine
turbofan The turbofan or fanjet is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used in aircraft engine, aircraft propulsion. The word "turbofan" is a portmanteau of "turbine" and "fan": the ''turbo'' portion refers to a gas turbine engine which ac ...
strategic airlifter designed by the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
's
Ilyushin The public joint stock company Ilyushin Aviation Complex, operating as Ilyushin (russian: Илью́шин) or as Ilyushin Design Bureau, is a former Soviet and now a Russian aircraft manufacturer and design bureau, founded in 1933 by Sergey ...
design bureau. It was first planned as a commercial freighter in 1967, as a replacement for the
Antonov An-12 The Antonov An-12 ( Russian: Антонов Ан-12; NATO reporting name: Cub) is a four-engined turboprop transport aircraft designed in the Soviet Union. It is the military version of the Antonov An-10 and has many variants. For more than th ...
. It was designed to deliver heavy machinery to remote, poorly served areas. Military versions of the Il-76 have been widely used in Europe, Asia and Africa, including use as an
aerial refueling Aerial refueling, also referred to as air refueling, in-flight refueling (IFR), air-to-air refueling (AAR), and tanking, is the process of transferring aviation fuel from one aircraft (the tanker) to another (the receiver) while both aircraft a ...
tanker or command center. The Il-76 has seen extensive service as a commercial freighter for ramp-delivered cargo, especially for outsized or heavy items unable to be otherwise carried. 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. Due 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.


Design and development


Origins

The aircraft was first conceived by
Ilyushin The public joint stock company Ilyushin Aviation Complex, operating as Ilyushin (russian: Илью́шин) or as Ilyushin Design Bureau, is a former Soviet and now a Russian aircraft manufacturer and design bureau, founded in 1933 by Sergey ...
in 1967 to meet a requirement for a freighter able to carry a payload of over a range of 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 was intended to replace the
Antonov An-12 The Antonov An-12 ( Russian: Антонов Ан-12; NATO reporting name: Cub) is a four-engined turboprop transport aircraft designed in the Soviet Union. It is the military version of the Antonov An-10 and has many variants. For more than th ...
. Another intended version was a double-decked 250-passenger airliner but that project was cancelled. The Il-76 first flew in . Production of Il-76s was allocated to the Tashkent Aviation Production Association in Tashkent,
Uzbekistan Uzbekistan (, ; uz, Ozbekiston, italic=yes / , ; russian: Узбекистан), officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( uz, Ozbekiston Respublikasi, italic=yes / ; russian: Республика Узбекистан), is a doubly landlocked co ...
, then a republic of the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
. Some 860 of the basic transport variants were manufactured. In the 1990s, modernized variants also equipped with Soloviev D-30 turbofan engines were developed (MF, TF), with a cargo compartment long by wide by 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. The prototype of the Il-76MF conducted its first flight on 1 August 1995.


Further development

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.Butowski, Piotr. ''Iliuszyn Ił-76 powraca''. ''Lotnictwo'' nr. 9/2004, p. 28-32 In 2005, the
People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...
placed an order for 34 new Il-76MDs and four Il-78 tankers. In June 2013, Russian military export agency
Rosoboronexport JSC Rosoboronexport (russian: AO Рособоронэкспорт, ''Rosoboroneksport'') is the sole state intermediary agency for Russia's exports/imports of defense-related and dual use products, technologies and services. The Rosoboronexport ...
announced an order by China for 12 Il-76MD aircraft. The Il-76 has also been modified into an airborne refuelling tanker, designated the Il-78, around 50 aircraft having been produced. A variant of the Il-76 also serves as a firefighting waterbomber. Its airframe was used as a base for the Beriev A-50 'Mainstay' AEW&C (airborne early warning and control) aircraft; around 25 aircraft were made. Another application for the type was found in
Antarctic The Antarctic ( or , American English also or ; commonly ) is a polar region around Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica, the Kerguelen Plateau and othe ...
support flights and for conducting simulated weightlessness training for
cosmonauts An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member aboard a spacecraft. Although generally ...
(akin to the "Vomit Comet" used by NASA). 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.


Il-76MD-90A

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 Ulyanovsk, known until 1924 as Simbirsk, is a city and the administrative center of Ulyanovsk Oblast, Russia, located on the Volga River east of Moscow. Population: The city, founded as Simbirsk (), was the birthplace of Vladimir Lenin (born ...
, Russia, and be operated in cooperation with the Tashkent works.Butowski, Piotr. ''Rosyjski kontrakt na Ił-76 i Ił-78 dla Chin''. ''Lotnictwo'' nr. 1/2007, pp. 54–55 At that point, the construction of two Il-76MD-90A prototypes had begun at the Ulyanovsk facility. The first Il-76MD-90A was rolled out at Aviastar's Ulyanovsk plant on 16 June 2014. On 29 April 2015, it was reported that the Russian Air Force received the first Il-76MD-90A built at the Ulyanovsk plant "Aviastar-SP" from the 2012 contract for 39 aircraft. The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) received its first serial production Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A airlifter on 2 April 2019. As of late 2022, 27 aircraft are ordered to be delivered in the period up to 2028 and 14 had been built.


Operational history

The first aircraft was delivered to the Soviet Air Force in June 1974. Next it became the main Soviet strategic transport aircraft. From 1976 it was operated by
Aeroflot PJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines (russian: ПАО "Аэрофло́т — Росси́йские авиали́нии", ), commonly known as Aeroflot ( or ; russian: Аэрофлот, , ), is the flag carrier and the largest airline of Russia. The ...
. 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. 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 still remain operational, the aircraft had a remarkably low
attrition rate Churn rate (sometimes called attrition rate), in its broadest sense, is a measure of the number of individuals or items moving out of a collective group over a specific period. It is one of two primary factors that determine the steady-state level ...
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. In 2006, the Russian Air Force had about 200 Il-76s. Civilian users in Russia have 108. On 3 August 1995, an Airstan Ilyushin Il-76 piloted by a Russian crew was forced down by a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan Air Force fighter in what became known as Airstan incident. The crew were imprisoned for nearly a year, but later escaped out of their confinement and managed to sneak into their aircraft still stuck at the airport and fly out of Afghanistan. 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. On 23 March 2007, a Transaviaexport Il-76 was shot down by an anti-aircraft missile while taking off from Mogadishu, Somalia. Everybody on board, seven crew and four passengers, were killed. Syrian Air Force Il-76s, operating as civil
Syrianair Syrian Airlines ( ar, السورية للطيران), operating as SyrianAir ( ar, السورية), is the flag carrier airline of Syria. It operates scheduled international services to several destinations in Asia, Europe and North Africa, thoug ...
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 Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...
, via
Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
i 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 Bashar Hafez al-Assad, ', Levantine pronunciation: ; (, born 11 September 1965) is a Syrian politician who is the 19th president of Syria, since 17 July 2000. In addition, he is the commander-in-chief of the Syrian Armed Forces and the ...
's government to survive Western sanctions. On 14 June 2014, a
Ukrainian Air Force The Ukrainian Air Force ( uk, Пові́тряні си́ли Збро́йних сил Украї́ни) is the air force of Ukraine and one of the five branches of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Its headquarters are in the city of Vinnytsia. Wh ...
Il-76 was shot down by ground fire from pro-Russian separatists while on approach to landing at Luhansk, resulting in the deaths of 40 soldiers and nine crew members on board. On 30 January 2017, an IL-76 firebomber of the Russian EMERCOM agency was deployed to
Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the eas ...
to assist firefighters. This assignment took 39 days. All Il-76 transport aircraft in service with the RF Aerospace Forces will receive anti-missile systems. The aircraft reconfiguration started in the spring 2019. On 25 February 2022, during the
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. A ...
, the Ukrainian State Special Communications Agency and US officials claimed that Russian Il-76s were shot down over
Bila Tserkva Bila Tserkva ( uk, Бі́ла Це́рква ; ) is a city in the center of Ukraine, the largest city in Kyiv Oblast (after Kyiv, which is the administrative center, but not part of the oblast), and part of the Right Bank. It serves as the adm ...
. Until September 2022 no wreckage of the alleged transport planes were ever found. On 4 April 2022, photographs of two destroyed Il-76s from the Ukrainian
25th Transport Aviation Brigade The 25th Transport Aviation Brigade is a formation of the Ukrainian Air Force based at Melitopol Air Base. History The unit was established as the 709 Night Bomber Aviation Regiment in Alatyr, Chuvash Republic at the end of 1941. On 22 November ...
were displayed; these cargo planes were destroyed on the ground by Russian forces at Melitopol Airport.


Variants


Prototypes and developmental variants

;Il-76TD-90 / Il-76MD-90: Engine upgrades to Perm PS-90s. ;Il-76 firebomber: Firefighting 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'')


Special purpose / research variants

;Il-76LL: with reinforced wing (at least 3 aircraft) to be used as test-bed aeroplane for engine prototypes flight testing in Gromov Flight Research Institute. ;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", Il-976, or Il-76SK) – (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, or ''Il-76-11''


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 cosmonaut trainer (''dlya podgotovki kosmonavtov''), used by Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center. ;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 Ms and MDs (Gordon – 'Falsies') ;Il-76MD-90: An Il-76MD with quieter and more economical
Aviadvigatel PS-90 The Aviadvigatel PS-90 is a Russian high-bypass commercial turbofan rated at 16000 kgf (157 kN, 35,300 lbf) thrust. It powers Russian airliners such as the Ilyushin Il-96 and the Tupolev Tu-204/Tu-214 series and transport aircraft such as th ...
high-bypass turbofan engines. ;Il-76MF: Stretched military version with a 6.6 m longer fuselage, PS-90A-76 engines, maximum takeoff weight of 210 tonnes and a lift capability of 60 tonnes. First flew in 1995, not built in series so far, just built for Jordan. ;Il-76PP: ECM aircraft, major problems with ECM equipment on the Izdeliye-176 only. ;Il-76MD-M: Modernized Il-76MD for the Russian Air Force. ;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. ;Il-76T/Il-76TD: Built as military aircraft but given civilian designations. (Gordon – 'Falsie') ;
Ilyushin Il-78 The Ilyushin Il-78 (russian: Илью́шин Ил-78; NATO reporting name Midas) is a Soviet/Russian four-engined aerial refueling tanker based on the Il-76 strategic airlifter. Design and development The Soviet Union's first dedicated t ...
/Il-78M/Il-78MD-90A: Aerial refuelling tanker. ;Il-78 MKI: A customized version of the Il-78 developed for the Indian Air Force. ;Il-82: Airborne Command Post/communications relay aircraft, (alternative designation – Il-76VKP-'version65S'). ;Il-84: Maritime Search and Rescue aircraft, (alternative designation – Il-76PS-''poiskovo-spasahtel'nyy''), not produced. ; Beriev A-50/Beriev A-50M/Beriev A-50I/Beriev A-50E: Airborne Early Warning & Control aircraft. Beriev given control over the program. ; Beriev A-100: An AEW&C version of the Il-76MD-90A.


Civil variants

;Il-76MGA: Initial Commercial freighter. (two prototypes and 12 production) equipped with Soloviev D-30 Turbofan engines. ;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 The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally desi ...
. 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. ;Il-76TD-90: An Il-76TD with Aviadvigatel PS-90 engines and a partial
glass cockpit A glass cockpit is an aircraft cockpit that features electronic (digital) flight instrument displays, typically large LCD screens, rather than the traditional style of analog dials and gauges. While a traditional cockpit relies on numerous ...
. ;Il-76TD-90VD: An Il-76TD with Aviadvigatel PS-90 engines and a partial
glass cockpit A glass cockpit is an aircraft cockpit that features electronic (digital) flight instrument displays, typically large LCD screens, rather than the traditional style of analog dials and gauges. While a traditional cockpit relies on numerous ...
. It was developed specially for Volga-Dnepr cargo company, which operates five aircraft as of 2021. ;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).


Foreign variants

;Beriev A-50E/I: For the Indian Air Force. Hosts Israeli Phalcon radar for AEW&C and
Aviadvigatel PS-90 The Aviadvigatel PS-90 is a Russian high-bypass commercial turbofan rated at 16000 kgf (157 kN, 35,300 lbf) thrust. It powers Russian airliners such as the Ilyushin Il-96 and the Tupolev Tu-204/Tu-214 series and transport aircraft such as th ...
engines. ;Il-76MD tanker: Iraqi Air Force tanker conversions. ; KJ-2000: 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 China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...
. ;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 Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient. Their plasticity makes it possible for plastics to be moulded, extruded or pressed into solid objects of various shapes. This adapta ...
radome over the antenna of the Thomson-CSF Tiger G surveillance radar with a maximum detection range of . One was destroyed on the ground during the 1991 Persian Gulf War; two others were flown to Iran where they remained. 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 Teheran. 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.


Operators

Military and civil operators in 38 countries have operated 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 TAE Avia, formerly named TransAVIAexport Airlines, is a Belarusian national cargo airline. It is based at Minsk International Airport in Belarus, with a hub at Sharjah International Airport, in the United Arab Emirates. History TransAVIAexport A ...
is the largest civilian operator.


Military operators

; *
Algerian Air Force The Algerian Air Force (AAF) ( ar, القُوَّاتُ الجَوِّيَّةُ الجَزَائِرِيَّةُ, links=, lit=, translit=al-Quwwāt al-Ǧawwiyyah al-Ǧazāʾiriyyah, french: Forces aériennes algériennes, links=, lit=, translit ...
– 11 Il-76s and five Il-78s in service as of December 2021. ; *
Angolan Air Force The National Air Force of Angola or FANA ( pt, Força Aérea Nacional de Angola) is the air branch of the Armed Forces of Angola. With an inventory of more than 300 aircraft, FANA is (on paper) one of the largest and strongest air forces of A ...
– six II-76TDs. ; * Armenian Air Force – two Il-76s in service as of December 2021. ; * Azerbaijan Air Force – two Il-76s in service as of December 2021. ; * Belarusian Air Force – inherited a number of Il-76s from the Soviet Air Force. Two in service as of December 2021. ; * People's Liberation Army Air Force operates 17 Il-76 aircraft, including three KJ-2000 AEW&C versions and some Il-78 tankers, with a further 30 due for delivery. However, the deal for new IL-476 is canceled, instead China received ten refurbished IL-76 from Russia and developed its own transport the Xian Y-20. ; * Egyptian Air Force – two Il-76MFs in service (from the
Royal Jordanian Air Force The Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF; ar, سلاح الجو الملكي الأردني, Silāḥ ul-Jawu al-Malakī 'al-Urdunī) is the aerial warfare branch of the Jordanian Armed Forces. History Early days Jordan gained independence in 1 ...
). ; * Equatorial Guinea Air Force – one Il-76 in service as of December 2021. ; *
Indian Air Force The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air force, air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks third amongst the air forces of the world. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct ...
– 26 Il-76s (17 Il-76MDs, 6 Il-78MKIs, and 3 Beriev A-50s for AEW&C) ; * Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force – five Il-76s in service as of December 2021. * Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Air Force – three Il-76s in service as of December 2021. ; *
Russian Air Force "Air March" , mascot = , anniversaries = 12 August , equipment = , equipment_label = , battles = , decorations = , batt ...
– operated about 110 as of 2016. * Border Service of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (2016) * National Guard Forces Command – operated nine as of 2016. ; *
Sudanese Air Force The Sudanese Air Force ( ar, القوّات الجوّيّة السودانيّة, Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya As-Sudaniya) is the air force operated by the Republic of the Sudan. As such it is part of the Sudanese Armed Forces. History The Sudanes ...
– one Il-76 as of December 2021. ; * Syrian Air Force – two Il-76s in service as of December 2021. ; *
Ukrainian Air Force The Ukrainian Air Force ( uk, Пові́тряні си́ли Збро́йних сил Украї́ни) is the air force of Ukraine and one of the five branches of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Its headquarters are in the city of Vinnytsia. Wh ...
– inherited a large number of Il-76s from the Soviet Air Force, with seven remaining in service as of December 2021. ; * Uzbekistan Air and Air Defence Forces – five in service as of December 2021.


Former military operators

; * Iraqi Air Force – operated the Il-76, but none remain in service. ; * The
Libyan Air Force The Libyan Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الليبية) is the branch of the Libyan Armed Forces responsible for aerial warfare. In 2010, before the Libyan Civil War, the Libyan Air Force personnel strength was estimated at 18,000 ...
has operated the Il-76 although it may not remain in service. ; *
Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Forces ( rus, Военно-воздушные силы, r=Voyenno-vozdushnyye sily, VVS; literally "Military Air Forces") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces. The Air Forces ...
– operated hundreds of the aircraft, with an inventory of 310 in 1987. Most were dispersed to the successor states upon the breakup of the Soviet Union. ; *
Yemen Air Force The Yemeni Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية اليمنية, al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Yamaniya) is the air operations branch of the Yemeni Armed Forces. Numbers of aircraft can not be confirmed but serviceability of these aircraft is low. ...
– Il-76TD, operated by the 4th Aviation Brigade. ; * Air Force of Zimbabwe


Civil operators

; *
Air Highnesses Air Highnesses is a cargo airline from Armenia. The airline commenced operations in 2008. The airline has its main hub at Zvartnots International Airport and its fleet consists of one Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft. Fleet Incidents and accidents * ...
owned and operated Il-76T (EK-76300) on behalf of Aéro-Service. ; *
Azal Avia Cargo Azal Avia Cargo (Cargo Airline of the State Concern Azərbaycan Hava Yolları Azerbaijan Airlines) is a cargo airline based in Baku, Azerbaijan. It operates scheduled and charter cargo services within Azerbaijan and to other CIS countries. Its ma ...
operates one Il-76TD. *
Silk Way Airlines Silk Way Airlines is an Azerbaijani private cargo airline with its head office and flight operations at Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku. It operates freight services to Asia, the Middle East and Europe, as well as services for govern ...
operates seven, including five Il-76TD and two Il-76TD-90. ; * Global Aviation Services ; *
TransAVIAexport Airlines TAE Avia, formerly named TransAVIAexport Airlines, is a Belarusian national cargo airline. It is based at Minsk International Airport in Belarus, with a hub at Sharjah International Airport, in the United Arab Emirates. History TransAVIAexport A ...
operates six Il-76TDs. ; * The Government of Kazakhstan operates one Il-76. *
Air Almaty The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing f ...
operates an Il-76TD for leased operations. * GST Aero operates 1 Il-76T. ; *
Botir Avia Botir Avia was an airline based in Kyrgyzstan. The airline was on the List of air carriers banned in the European Union The European Union (EU) publishes a list of air carriers that are banned from entering the airspace of any of its membe ...
operates three, including one Il-76MD and two Il-76TD. *
Kyrgyzstan Airlines JSC National Air Carrier "Kyrgyzstan Airlines" (russian: ОАО «Национальный авиаперевозчик «Кыргызстан Аба Жолдору») was the national airline of Kyrgyzstan, with its head office on the grounds o ...
operates one Il-76TD. *
Reem Air REEM is the latest prototype humanoid robot built by PAL Robotics in Spain. It is a 1.70 m high humanoid robot with 22 degrees of freedom, with a mobile base with wheels, allowing it to move at 4 km/hour. The upper part of the robot consists of a t ...
; * Imtrec aviation of Cambodia operates Laos registered Il-76TD. ; *
Transafrica Airlines TransAfrica (formerly ''TransAfrica Forum'') is an advocacy organization in Washington, D.C. that seeks to influence the foreign policy of the United States concerning African and Caribbean countries and all African diaspora groups. They are a re ...
; *
Jet Line International Jet, Jets, or The Jet(s) may refer to: Aerospace * Jet aircraft, an aircraft propelled by jet engines ** Jet airliner ** Jet engine ** Jet fuel * Jet Airways, an Indian airline * Wind Jet (ICAO: JET), an Italian airline * Journey to Enceladus a ...
operates the Il-76. * Tiramavia ; *
Air Koryo Air Koryo () is the state-owned national airline of North Korea, headquartered in Sunan-guyŏk, Pyongyang. Based at Pyongyang International Airport (IATA: FNJ), it operates international scheduled and charter services to points in Asia. Hist ...
; * The Ministry of Emergency Situations operates an Il-76TD. * Border Guard Service of Russia * Abakan Avia operates three Il-76TDs. *
Airlines 400 Red Wings Airlines is a Russian regional leisure airline based in Moscow Domodedovo Airport. The airline provides both scheduled passenger and cargo services. History Red Wings was founded in 1999 under the name VARZ-400, after the Russian acro ...
operates two Il-76TDs. *
Airstars Airways Airstars, Ltd (russian: ООО «Авиакомпания «Аэростарз») was a cargo airline based in Moscow, Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern A ...
operates four Il-76TDs on cargo services. *
Alrosa-Avia CJSC "Air Company ALROSA" (russian: ЗАО «Авиакомпания АЛРОСА», ''ZAO «Aviakompanija ALROSA»''; sah, Алроса авиахампанньа, ''Alrosa aviaxampannya''), formerly ''Alrosa Mirny Air Enterprise'' (Alrosa Air ...
operates four Il-76TDs on charter services. * Aram Air * Atlant-Soyuz Airlines operates six, including two Il-76MDs and four Il-76TDs. *
ATRAN Cargo Airlines Atran, LLC (russian: ООО «Атран») is a cargo airline based in Moscow, Russia. It operates cargo charters in Europe, Russia and the CIS. Its main base is Domodedovo International Airport, Moscow. History The airline was established a ...
operates five, including three Il-76Ts and two Il-76TDs. At least one Il-76M may have been operated in the past. * Atruvera Aviation operates three, including one Il-76MD and two Il-76TDs. * Aviacon Zitotrans operates five, including four Il-76TDs. * Aviast operates four, including one Il-76MD and three Il-76TDs. * East Line operates the Il-76. *
Ilavia Airline Ilavia was an airline based in Moscow, Russia, which operated chartered flight services within Russia and to other CIS destinations. Flight International 5–11 April 2005 History The airline was founded in 1994, originally to deliver food and m ...
operates six, including two Il-76MDs and four Il-76TDs. *
Magadan Avia Leasing Magadan ( rus, Магадан, p=məɡɐˈdan) is a port town and the administrative center of Magadan Oblast, Russia, located on the Sea of Okhotsk in Nagayev Bay (within Taui Bay) and serving as a gateway to the Kolyma region. History Magadan ...
is a lease and charter operator of the Il-76. *
Samara Airlines Samara Airlines was an airline based in Samara, Russia. It operated scheduled and charter flights from Samara to destinations in Russia and other countries (mainly within the CIS) and charter flights to Austria, Cyprus, Greece, Israel, Spain ...
operates two Il-76TDs. * Spair Airlines * Tesis Aviation Enterprise operates nine Il-76TDs. *
Tyumen Airlines Tyumen ( ; rus, Тюмень, p=tʲʉˈmʲenʲ, a=Ru-Tyumen.ogg) is the administrative center and largest city of Tyumen Oblast, Russia. It is situated just east of the Ural Mountains, along the Tura River. Fueled by the Russian oil and gas indu ...
* Uralinteravia * Volga-Dnepr operates eight: four Il-76TDs and four Il-76TD-90VDs. ; *
Aerolift Aerolift was a South African airline based in Bryanston, Gauteng, Johannesburg, operating chartered passenger and cargo flights within Africa using Soviet Union, Soviet-built aircraft. Aerolift also offered aircraft lease services. The airline ...
Sierra Leone operates Il-76 aircraft for special charter and cargo lift operations. ; *
Azza Transport Azza Transport Company (alternatively known as Azza Air Transport) was a cargo airline based in Khartoum, Sudan. It operated a cargo charter service throughout Africa and the Middle East and was planning services for Europe. Its main base was at ...
operates two Il-76TDs. *
Green Flag Airlines Green Flag Aviation Co. Ltd. is an air transport service company based in Khartoum, Sudan, established in 1992. The company was added to the EU list of banned air carriers on 30 March 2010. Fleet Green Flag's fleet consists of: *2 Antonov An- ...
; * Syrian Arab Airlines operates four, including three Il-76Ms. ; *
Turkmenistan Airlines OJSC Turkmenistan Airlines ( tk, «Türkmenistan» awiakompaniýasy açyk görnüşli paýdarlar jemgyýeti, commonly known as Türkmenhowaýollary) is the flag carrier and only airline of Turkmenistan, headquartered in Ashgabat. It operates d ...
operates eight Il-76TDs. ; *
ATI Aircompany Ati or ATI may refer to: * Ati people, a Negrito ethnic group in the Philippines **Ati language (Philippines), the language spoken by this people group ** Ati-Atihan festival, an annual celebration held in the Philippines *Ati language (China), a ...
operates a number of Il-76 models. *
Azov Avia Airlines Azov Avia Airlines was a cargo airline based in Melitopol, Ukraine offering chartered flights using two Ilyushin Il-76MD The Ilyushin Il-76 (russian: Илью́шин Ил-76; NATO reporting name: Candid) is a multi-purpose, fixed-wing, fou ...
operates two Il-76MDs. *
Khors Aircompany Khors Air ( uk, Авіакомпанія Хорс) is an airline based in Kyiv, Ukraine. It operates mainly charter flights within Ukraine, and also offers flights to Europe and the Middle East from Kyiv International Airport. History The air ...
operates two Il-76MDs. *
Lviv Airlines Lviv Airlines ( uk, Львівські авіалінії) was an airline headquartered on the grounds of Lviv International Airport in Lviv, Ukraine."World Airline Directory." ''Flight International''. 27 March-2 April 2001. 102102 It operates ...
operates three Il-76MDs. *
Ukraine Air Alliance Ukraine Air Alliance is a cargo airline based in Kyiv, Ukraine. It operates services to Asia, Africa and Europe. Its main bases were Boryspil International Airport (KBP) and Zhuliany International Airport (IEV). History The airline was e ...
operates four, including one Il-76MD and three Il-76TDs. *
Ukrainian Cargo Airways Ukrainian Cargo Airways was an airline based in Kyiv, Ukraine. It was a state-owned company operating charter passenger and cargo services. It also overhauled, leased and sold aircraft, engines and aviation equipment. Its main bases were Kyiv B ...
operates 21, including 19 Il-76MDs. *
Veteran Airlines A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in a particular occupation or field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in a military. A military veteran that has ...
* Volare Airlines operates three, including two Il-76MDs and one Il-76TD. *
Yuzhmashavia Yuzhmashavia ( uk, Авіаційна транспортна компанія «Южмашавіа», Air Transport Company Yuzmashavia) is an airline based in Dnipro Dnipro, previously called Dnipropetrovsk from 1926 until May 2016, is U ...
operates two Il-76TDs. ; * The United Nations Humanitarian Air Service has operated several of the type from the early to mid-1990s to now. Most of them are either ex-
Aeroflot PJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines (russian: ПАО "Аэрофло́т — Росси́йские авиали́нии", ), commonly known as Aeroflot ( or ; russian: Аэрофлот, , ), is the flag carrier and the largest airline of Russia. The ...
or one that the Russian Air Force has lent to the UN. ; * Air Support Systems, LLC operates the Il-76/78 in firefighting duties in the US. ; *
Gulf Aviation Technology and Services A gulf is a large inlet from the ocean into the landmass, typically with a narrower opening than a bay, but that is not observable in all geographic areas so named. The term gulf was traditionally used for large highly-indented navigable bodies ...
operates a number of Il-76 aircraft on charter or lease. *
Phoenix Aviation AVE.com was a Kyrgyz-UAE airline based in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates with its base at Sharjah International Airport, offered charter flights and aircraft lease services. AVE.com was established in 2005 by the renaming of Phoenix Aviation AVE ...
operates 2 Il-76TDs. ; *
Avialeasing Avialeasing Aviation Company is a cargo airline based in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. It operates cargo services linking cities in Asia with western and eastern Europe. Its main base is Yuzhny Airport, Tashkent.Flight International 27 March 2007 It is a ...
operates the Il-76 on a charter and lease basis. *
Uzbekistan Airways JSC Uzbekistan Airways, operating as ''Uzbekistan Airways'' ( uz, Oʻzbekiston Havo Yoʻllari, ; russian: Узбекские Авиалинии), is the flag carrier airline of Uzbekistan, headquartered in Tashkent. From its hub at Islam Kari ...
operates 14 Il-76TDs.


Former civil operators

; *
Angola Air Charter Angola Air Charter is a charter airline based in Luanda, Angola. It operates cargo charters in Africa. Its main base is Quatro de Fevereiro Airport, Luanda.Flight International 27 March 2007 History The airline was established in 1987 and i ...
has operated an Il-76. ; *
Dvin Airlines Dvin may refer to: *Dvin (ancient city) Dvin ( hy, Դուին, label=Classical Armenian, hy, Դվին, label= reformed; el, Δούβιος, or , ; ; also Duin or Dwin in ancient sources) was a large commercial city and the capital of early med ...
operated an Il-76TD. * Yerevan-Avia operated two Il-76 (EK86724 and EK86817). ; *
Belavia Belavia, formally Belavia Belarusian Airlines ( be, ААТ «Авіякампанія «Белавія»; russian: ОАО «Авиакомпания «Белавиа»), is the flag carrier and national airline of Belarus, headquartered in Mins ...
operated the Il-76 before its closure in 1999. *
Gomelavia Gomelavia ( be, Авіякампанія Гомельавія; russian: Авиакомпания Гомельавиа) was an airline based in Gomel, Belarus. It was established in 1996 and operated domestic and regional, scheduled and chartere ...
operated five Il-76TD. ; * Faso Airways operated a Il-76TD. ; * Imtrec Aviation operated a Laotian registered Il-76. ; * Air Congo operated an Il-76TD. ; * The Republic of the Congo operates an Il-76. * Trans Air Congo has operated an Il-76T. ; * Cubana de Aviación used to operate two Il-76s. ; *
Ecuatorial Cargo The equator is a circle of latitude, about in circumference, that divides Earth into the Northern and Southern hemispheres. It is an imaginary line located at 0 degrees latitude, halfway between the North and South poles. The term can also ...
operated one Il-76TD. *
Express International Cargo Express or EXPRESS may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * '' Express: Aisle to Glory'', a 1998 comedy short film featuring Kal Penn * '' The Express: The Ernie Davis Story'', a 2008 film starring Dennis Quaid Music * ''Express'' ...
; * Sun Way has operated the Il-76TD. ; * Atlant Hungary has operated the Il-76. *
Hungarian Ukrainian Air Cargo Hungarian may refer to: * Hungary, a country in Central Europe * Kingdom of Hungary, state of Hungary, existing between 1000 and 1946 * Hungarians, ethnic groups in Hungary * Hungarian algorithm, a polynomial time algorithm for solving the assignme ...
has operated the Il-76. ; * Atlas Air has operated at least eight Il-76TD. *
Chabahar Air Chābahār ( fa, چابهار, bal, چھبار, čahbàr; ; formerly ''Bandar Beheshtī'') is the capital city of Chabahar County, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran. It is a free port ( free-trade zone) situated on the coast of the Gulf ...
has operated at least two Il-76TD. *
Mahan Air Mahan Airlines, operating under the name Mahan Air ( fa, هواپیمایی ماهان, Havâpeymâyi-ye Mâhân), is a privately owned Iranian airline based in Tehran, Iran. It operates scheduled domestic services and international flights to ...
has operated the Il-76. * Payam Air operated two Il-76TD. *
Qeshm Air Qeshm Air ( fa, هواپیمایی قشم, ''Hevapeimayi-ye Qeshm'') is an Iranian airline; it has its headquarters in Tehran, Iran and operates scheduled domestic and international passenger services as well as charter flights. The airline was ...
operated two Il-76TD (airline disestablished). *
Safiran Airlines Safiran Airlines ( fa, هواپیمايی سفیران) is a cargo airline based in Tehran, Iran. It specialised in international cargo flights on a charter basis, especially outsized cargo, handling and wet-leasing aircraft when required. Hist ...
*
Yas Air Yas Air ( ) is an Iran, Iranian airline which was a prominent commercial airline but now focuses on cargo only. Destinations * Tehran — Tehran Mehrabad International Airport (Hub/Base) * Mashhad — Mashhad International Airport Fleet ...
operated two Il-76TDs (registered as EP-GOL and EP-GOM). ; * Iraqi Airways operated a single Il-76. ; *
Jordan International Air Cargo Jordan International Air Cargo is a cargo airline based in Amman, Jordan. It was founded in 2004 and is owned and operated by the Royal Jordanian Air Force. Fleet The Jordan International Air Cargo fleet includes the following aircraft (as of ...
– has operated two Il-76MFs delivered in 2011. and operated for the
Royal Jordanian Air Force The Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF; ar, سلاح الجو الملكي الأردني, Silāḥ ul-Jawu al-Malakī 'al-Urdunī) is the aerial warfare branch of the Jordanian Armed Forces. History Early days Jordan gained independence in 1 ...
which were sold to Egypt in 2018 and were delivered in 2019. ; *
Air Kazakhstan Air Kazakhstan, stylised as ''Air Kazakstan'' ( kk, Эйр Қазақстан / ), was an airline of Kazakhstan which later became its national carrier after bankrupt Kazakhstan Airlines was shut down. It was headquartered in Almaty. History Th ...
operated Il-76 aircraft until its closure in 2004. *
Kazakhstan Airlines Kazakhstan Airlines was an airline from Kazakhstan, serving as national flag carrier of the country from its independence in 1991 until 1996. Following the disaster of the Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision, Kazakhstan Airlines ceased operations, ...
operated the Il-76TD before its closure in 1997. *
Sayakhat Airlines Sayakhat Airlines or Sayakhat Air Company (russian: Aвиационная Компания «Саяхат») was an airline based in Almaty, Kazakhstan. It operated chartered cargo and passenger flights out of Almaty International Airport. Hist ...
operated the Il-76 previously. ; *
Inversija Inversija was a cargo airline based in Riga, Latvia. It started operations in March 1991 and undertook all types of cargo operations, as well as maintenance work for third parties. Its main base was Riga International Airport. In 2012, the airline ...
operated three, including two Il-76Ts and one Il-76TD. ; * Jamahiria Air Transport operated the Il-76M, Il-76TD, and Il-78. *
Libyan Air Cargo Libyan Air Cargo is an inactive cargo airline based in Tripoli, Libya. It is the cargo division of Libyan Airlines, operating all-cargo services. Its main base is Tripoli International Airport. It serves destinations throughout Africa, Europe, ...
, the cargo division of Libyan Arab Airlines, operates 21, including one Il-76M and 15 Il-76TD. ; *
Aerocom Aerocom was an airline based in Chişinău, Moldova. It was suspected to be involved in illegal weapons trade, which ultimately led to the airline being shut down in 2004. History Aerocom was founded in 1998 and operated chartered passenger an ...
operated an Il-76MD as well as an Il-76T until as late as January 2005. *
Airline Transport An airline is a company that provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines use aircraft to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for codeshare agreements, in which ...
operated a number of Il-76 aircraft, losing three in accidents in 2004 and 2005. ; *
Aeroflot PJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines (russian: ПАО "Аэрофло́т — Росси́йские авиали́нии", ), commonly known as Aeroflot ( or ; russian: Аэрофлот, , ), is the flag carrier and the largest airline of Russia. The ...
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 The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...
operated an Il-76TD. * ALAK operated Il-76 aircraft before its closure in 1999. *
Aviaenergo JSC Aviaenergo (russian: link=no, ОАО «Авиакомпания «Авиаэнерго») was a charter airline with headquarters in Moscow, Russia. It was established on 31 December 1992 and operated charter flights within Europe, the CIS a ...
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 The City of Dacono is a home rule municipality located in southwestern Weld County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 6,297 at the 2020 United States Census, an increase of +51.66% since the 2010 United States Census. Dacono is a p ...
has operated the Il-76. * Domodedovo Airlines has operated the Il-76, but none is currently in service. *
KrasAir KrasAir or Krasnoyarsk Airlines (russian: Красноярские авиалинии) was a Russian airline with its head office on the grounds of Krasnoyarsk Yemelyanovo Airport in Krasnoyarsk. It operated scheduled regional and international pa ...
operated the Il-76, but none is currently in service. *
Krylo Airlines Krylo Airlines was an airline based in Moscow, Russia, which operated regional passenger services and freight charters between 1990 and 2003. Code data *IATA Code: K9 *ICAO Code: KRI *Callsign: Krylo History The airline was established in Decem ...
operated two Il-76TDs into 2005. *
Moscow Airways Moscow Airways was a Russian airline that was formed as a subsidiary of Aeroflot to operate the airline's fleet of Ilyushin Il-62s. History It began operating in 1991, flying passengers and airfreight. Among the airline's destinations by ...
operated an Il-76TD in the early 1990s. * Novosibirsk Air Enterprise operated the Il-76, but none is currently in service. *
Pulkovo Aviation Enterprise Pulkovo Federal State Unified Aviation Service Company (ФГУАП “Пулково”) was an airline with its head office in Moskovsky District, Saint Petersburg, Russia. It operated the Pulkovo Airport and was 100% state owned. It was the ...
operated the Il-76, but none is currently in service. ; *
Air Tomisko Air Tomisko was a cargo airline based in Belgrade, Serbia. It was founded in 2006 and its owner was Tomislav Damnjanović who had previously worked at JAT Yugoslav Airlines and was director at Kosmas Air. The fleet consisted of 3 Ilyushin Il ...
operated 3 Il-76TDs. Two were leased from GST Aero which had been before in service of Kosmas Air, and one more was added in May 2006.Trgovao oružjem sa bivšim agentima KGB
at
Blic ''Blic'' (Cyrillic: Блиц, ) is a daily middle-market tabloid newspaper in Serbia. Founded in 1996, ''Blic'' is owned by Ringier Axel Springer Media AG, a joint venture between Ringier media corporation from Switzerland and Axel Springer A ...
Online, 17-12-2009, retrieved 19-11-2013
*
Kosmas Air Kosmas Air was a charter cargo airline based in Belgrade, Serbia. The airline's main field of activity covered air freight and transport of humanitarian aid relief from Europe to Middle East, Asia and Africa. History Kosmas Air was the first C ...
operated two Il-76TDs leased from GST Aero. ; * 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. ; * Air West operated at least six aircraft, although it is unclear how many remain in service. *
East West Cargo East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the fa ...
operated a number of Il-76s. *
Juba Air Cargo Juba Air Cargo was a cargo airline based in Khartoum, Sudan. It was established in 1996 and operated domestic cargo services. Its main base was at Khartoum International Airport. In 2008 the airline ceased all operations. History The airline has ...
operated the Il-76. *
Badr Airlines Badr Airlines, formerly Sarit Airlines (from 1997 to 2004), is an airline based in Khartoum, Sudan, operating cargo and passenger air services for humanitarian aid missions, and chartered VIP flights. Its main base is Khartoum International Airpor ...
operated two Il-76s. *
Trans Attico Trans- is a Latin prefix meaning "across", "beyond", or "on the other side of". Used alone, trans may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Trans (festival), a former festival in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom * ''Trans'' (film ...
operated two Il-76TDs. * Alfa Airlines ; *
Air Service Ukraine The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing f ...
operated the Il-76MD. * Air Ukraine and Air Ukraine Cargo operated the aircraft, although none were in service at the time of bankruptcy. *
BSL Airline BSL may refer to: Business * Boyne Smelters Limited, an Australian-based aluminium smelter company *Black Star Line, a former shipping line owned by Marcus Garvey *Brookdale Senior Living, a U.S. company that operates senior residences *BlueScop ...
operated as many as six Il-78s. *
Busol Airlines Buserelin, sold under the brand name Suprefact among others, is a medication which is used primarily in the treatment of prostate cancer and endometriosis. It is also used for other indications such as the treatment of premenopausal breast cancer ...
operated the Il-76 before its closure in 1998. *
South Airlines South Airlines ( ua, Південні авіалінії, russian: Южные авиалинии) was a charter airline based in Odessa, Ukraine. History The airline was registered in 1999 in Odessa, Ukraine. In 2000, the company was certified ...
; * Yemenia operated two Il-76TDs.


Accidents

As of April 2018, a total of 80 Il-76 series aircraft have been written off in crashes and other accidents. There were at average two Il-76 crashes or similar accidents per year since 1979, with more than 1000 casualties. * On 23 November 1979, a
Soviet Air Forces The Soviet Air Forces ( rus, Военно-воздушные силы, r=Voyenno-vozdushnyye sily, VVS; literally "Military Air Forces") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces. The 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. * On 11 December 1988, an
Aeroflot PJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines (russian: ПАО "Аэрофло́т — Росси́йские авиали́нии", ), commonly known as Aeroflot ( or ; russian: Аэрофлот, , ), is the flag carrier and the largest airline of Russia. The ...
Il-76 crashed on approach to Leninakan, Armenia killing 77 of the 78 on board. The aircraft was on an air relief operation following the 1988 Armenian earthquake. * On 1 February 1990, a
Soviet Air Forces The Soviet Air Forces ( rus, Военно-воздушные силы, r=Voyenno-vozdushnyye sily, VVS; literally "Military Air Forces") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces. The Air Forces ...
Il-76 registration СССР-86021 crashed 14 minutes after takeoff from
Panevėžys Air Base Panevėžys Air Base (also known as Pajuostis, and Tulpė) is an air base in Lithuania located 6 km east of Panevėžys. It is a transport base, with a very large ring taxiway 2 km in diameter. There are 32 large revetments. The main ...
. The crashed killed all 8 members of the crew. * On 19 August 1996, an Il-76T operating
Spair Airlines Flight 3601 Spair Airlines Flight 3601 (PAR-3601) was a cargo flight between Ekaterinburg, Russia, and Malta International Airport, Malta. On 19 August 1996, the aircraft crashed into a corn field northeast of Belgrade International Airport's runway in Yu ...
, crashed while trying to land at
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport ( sr, / ) or Belgrade Airport ( sr, / ) is an international airport serving Belgrade, Serbia. It is the largest and the busiest airport in Serbia, situated west of downtown Belgrade near the suburb of Su ...
, killing all 14 occupants on board. * On 12 November 1996,
Kazakhstan Airlines Kazakhstan Airlines was an airline from Kazakhstan, serving as national flag carrier of the country from its independence in 1991 until 1996. Following the disaster of the Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision, Kazakhstan Airlines ceased operations, ...
Flight 1907, an Il-76 had a mid-air collision near
New Delhi New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament Hous ...
, India with a
Saudi Arabian Airlines Saudia ( ar, السعودية '), formerly known as Saudi Arabian Airlines (), is the flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, based in Jeddah. The airline's main operational base is at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. King Khalid Internati ...
Boeing 747, resulting in the loss of all 349 lives aboard both aircraft. The accident was ruled as pilot error, with the Il-76 aircraft failing to follow air traffic controller instructions. * On 27 November 1996, a
Russian Air Force "Air March" , mascot = , anniversaries = 12 August , equipment = , equipment_label = , battles = , decorations = , batt ...
Ilyushin Il-76MD, registration RA-78804, flew into the hillside of a mountain, minutes after it departed
Abakan Airport Abakan International Airport (russian: Международный Аэропорт Абакан, ) is an airport located in Abakan, Republic of Khakassia, Russia. The airport is located to the north of the city not far from the city limits. City ...
, and crashed from the airport. All 21 occupants on board lost their lives in the accident. * In July 1998, a Ukrainian Ilyushin-76 cargo plane took off from Ras Al Khaimah airport and crash landed into the sea nearby. All crew members on board died. * On 2 December 2001,
Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Flight 9064 Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Flight 9064 was a military flight from Bratsk Airport to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky Airport with 9 passengers and 9 crew aboard. The flight crashed at Novaya Inya, Russia on 1 December 2001, after a reported w ...
crashed at Novaya Inya, Russia, following an onboard fire, killing 18 on board. * On 19 February 2003, an Ilyushin Il-76 crashed near Kerman, Iran under unspecified reasons (possibly weather-related). The crash killed 275 people, including hundreds of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. * 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, but 14 people actually died. *On 30 June 2008, an Ababeel Aviation Il-76 crashed while taking off from
Khartoum Khartoum or Khartum ( ; ar, الخرطوم, Al-Khurṭūm, din, Kaartuɔ̈m) is the capital of Sudan. With a population of 5,274,321, its metropolitan area is the largest in Sudan. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile, flowing n ...
on a relief flight, killing the 4 crew members, the only people on board the plane. *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. *On 15 January 2009, two
Russian Ministry of Interior The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation (MVD; russian: Министерство внутренних дел (МВД), ''Ministerstvo vnutrennikh del'') is the interior ministry of Russia. The MVD is responsible for law enfor ...
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. * On 9 March 2009
Aerolift Aerolift was a South African airline based in Bryanston, Gauteng, Johannesburg, operating chartered passenger and cargo flights within Africa using Soviet Union, Soviet-built aircraft. Aerolift also offered aircraft lease services. The airline ...
Il-76 S9-SAB crashed into
Lake Victoria Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. With a surface area of approximately , Lake Victoria is Africa's largest lake by area, the world's largest tropical lake, and the world's second-largest fresh water lake by surface area after ...
just after takeoff from
Entebbe Airport Entebbe International Airport is the only international airport in Uganda. It is located about southwest of the town of Entebbe, on the northern shores of Lake Victoria. This is approximately by road south-west of the central business distr ...
, 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. * On 22 September 2009, Il-76MD "5-8208" of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force crashed near
Varamin Varamin (; fa, ورامين, also Romanized as Varāmīn and Verāmin) is a city and capital of Varamin County, Tehran Province, Iran. At the 2011 census, its population was 218,991, and at the 2006 census, its population was 208,569, in 53,639 ...
killing all seven people on board. The crash was possibly the result of a midair collision with a Northrop F-5E Tiger II. * On 1 November 2009, an Il-76 belonging to the Russian Ministry of the Interior, crashed near the city of Mirny within 2 kilometers after taking off. Eleven people on board were confirmed as killed. * On 28 November 2010
Sun Way Flight 4412 Sun Way Flight 4412 was an international scheduled cargo flight from Karachi, Pakistan, to Khartoum, Sudan. On 28 November 2010, the Ilyushin Il-76 operating the flight crashed while attempting to return to Karachi after one of the engines catast ...
, Il-76 4L-GNI, crashed in a populated area of
Karachi Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former c ...
, Pakistan, shortly after taking off from
Jinnah International Airport Jinnah International Airport ( ur, جناح بین الاقوامی ہوائی اڈا) , formerly Drigh Road Airport or Karachi Civil Airport, is Pakistan's busiest international and domestic airport, and handled 7,267,582 passengers in 2017 ...
. 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. * On 6 July 2011 a
Silk Way The Silk Road () was a network of Eurasian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles), it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and reli ...
Il-76, tail number 4K-AZ55, crashed into a mountain in Afghanistan, while on final to
Bagram Air Force Base Bagram Airfield-BAF, also known as Bagram Air Base , is located southeast of Charikar in the Parwan Province of Afghanistan. It is under the Afghan Ministry of Defense. Sitting on the site of the ancient Bagram at an elevation of above sea leve ...
. Eight people on board were initially confirmed as killed, with one unaccounted. * On 30 November 2012 an Aéro-Service Il-76T (also reported as being operated by Trans Air Congo in the days after the accident) crashed 850 meters short of runway 5L of the Congo's Maya-Maya Airport in
Brazzaville Brazzaville (, kg, Kintamo, Nkuna, Kintambo, Ntamo, Mavula, Tandala, Mfwa, Mfua; Teke: ''M'fa'', ''Mfaa'', ''Mfa'', ''Mfoa''Roman Adrian Cybriwsky, ''Capital Cities around the World: An Encyclopedia of Geography, History, and Culture'', ABC-CL ...
while landing during a violent storm, killing 32, including the 5 aircrew, another person on board and 26 people on the ground. *On 11 April 2018, an
Algerian Air Force The Algerian Air Force (AAF) ( ar, القُوَّاتُ الجَوِّيَّةُ الجَزَائِرِيَّةُ, links=, lit=, translit=al-Quwwāt al-Ǧawwiyyah al-Ǧazāʾiriyyah, french: Forces aériennes algériennes, links=, lit=, translit ...
Ilyushin Il-76 military transport aircraft crashed shortly after take-off from Boufarik Airport, Boufarik,
Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...
. All 257 people on board were killed, making the accident the deadliest air crash on Algerian soil. * On 24 June 2022, a
Russian Air Force "Air March" , mascot = , anniversaries = 12 August , equipment = , equipment_label = , battles = , decorations = , batt ...
IL-76 crashed and caught fire whilst landing near the city of Ryazan, killing 5 of the 9 people on board.


Aircraft on display

* UR-UCI (cn 083414444) preserved in the State Museum of Aviation, Kyiv-Zhulyany.


Specifications (Il-76TD)


See also


References


Notes


Bibliography

* * *


External links


Il-76TD
an




Il-476 production line photos on Englishrussia.com


* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20080218112711/http://www.gctc.ru/eng/facility/aircraft_e.htm Training aircraft at Yuri Gagarin Cosmonauts Training Center {{Authority control AWACS aircraft Il-076 1970s Soviet cargo aircraft 1970s Soviet military transport aircraft Quadjets T-tail aircraft High-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1971