Russian Air Force takes delivery of its second Il-76MD-90A airlifter

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World Defense & Security News - Russia
 
 
Russian Air Force takes delivery of its second Il-76MD-90A airlifter
 
The Russian Military Transport Aviation Command received two Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A (NATO reporting name: Candid) transport aircraft, and the conversion to the type will start at the branch’s combat training center in January, the command’s chief, Vladimir Benedictov, told journalists on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2016.
     
Russian Air Force takes delivery of its second Il 76MD 90A airlifter 640 001The first RuAF Il-76MD-90A "Candid" military airlifter
     
"We have taken delivery of the first two aircraft and will begin the scheduled conversion to the type at our Flight Training Center tomorrow," he said.

The first airlifter named after aircraft designer Viktor Livanov was received in December 2015. An air regiment equipped with advanced Il-76MD-90A transport planes is slated for activation in Ulyanovsk in 2017.

The Il-76MD-90A is a substantially upgraded version of the baseline Il-76 transport aircraft. Its sophisticated flight and navigation suite, automatic control system and communications equipment will enhance flight safety, navigation accuracy and airdrop precision. The latest variant of the widespread airlifter features advanced avionics, including the ‘glass’ cockpit, up-to-date PS-90A-76 engines, modified wing and reinforced landing gear. The Il-78M-90A tanker plane is being derived from the Il-76MD-90A, and the development of an electronic warfare version in the future is a possibility.
     
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