Aviastar, a subsidiary of PJSC Ilyushin and part of the Rostec State Corporation, has successfully manufactured and transferred another serial Il-76MD-90A military transport aircraft to the Russian Ministry of Defense.
According to Rostec’s press release, the Il-76MD-90A represents a much-modernized version of the Il-76 Candid and is constructed using domestically sourced components. This aircraft is specifically designed for the transportation and airdropping of military equipment, personnel, and cargo.
Sergey Sheremetov, the Director of PJSC Ilyushin-Aviastar’s branch, highlighted the need for a substantial increase in the Il-76MD-90A fleet during a recent visit to Aviastar by Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu. This underscores the significance of these aircraft in supporting the Russian military’s transportation needs.
Notably, the initial contract for the production of 39 Il-76MD-90A aircraft worth 139.42 billion rubles was signed between Aviastar and the Russian Ministry of Defense in October 2012. Due to delays and cost escalations, a new contract was negotiated in May 2020. According to the revised terms, the original contract (2012) mandated the delivery of a total of 13 Il-76MD-90A aircraft (completed with the delivery of aircraft bearing serial number 0301 in 2022), with a new contract, effective from 2021 to 2028, stipulating the delivery of an additional 14 aircraft.
The first aircraft produced under this new agreement was aircraft 0302 (RF-78667), delivered at the end of 2022.
In 2022, Aviastar successfully delivered five Il-76MD-90A aircraft to the Russian Ministry of Defense.