Russia and India are in talks on the upgrade of Ilyushin Il-76 (NATO reporting name: Candid) military transport aircraft in service with the Indian Air Force, the press office of Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) told TASS at the Aero India 2021 international exhibition.

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Il-76 (Picture source: Vitaly V. Kuzmin)

“We are holding talks on the upgrade of operational planes of the Il-76 family,” the press office said.

According to the press office, the UAC is ready to consider the opportunity of renewing India’s fleet of Il-78 (Midas) aerial tankers made on the basis of the Il-76.
The Il-76 is the main heavy military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force.

The Il-76 is a four engine heavy duty/long haul military transport aircraft of Russian origin with a max speed of 850 km/hr. It has a twin 23 mm cannon in tail turret and capacity to carry 225 paratroopers or 40 tonnes freight, wheeled or tracked armoured vehicles.

Il-78 (Picture source: Konstantin Tyurpeko)

The Ilyushin Il-78 (Midas) is a Soviet four-engined aerial refueling tanker based on the Il-76 strategic airlifter. It  has a total transferable fuel load of 85,720 kilograms (188,980 lb), which includes 28,000 kilograms (62,000 lb) from a pair of 18,230-litre (4,010 imp gal; 4,820 US gal) tanks in the freight hold. In comparison, the Il-76 has a capacity of only 10,000 kilograms (22,000 lb). The Il-78 transfers fuel solely through deployment of the probe-and-drogue refueling method.

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