Why Russia has increased production of Il-76MD90A aircraft

Russia has reached record production volumes of the Il-76MD-90A military transport aircraft and is preparing to increase them by another two and a half times. This demonstrates that the country has mastered the daunting task of reviving the legendary aircraft, and at an improved quality. Under current circumstances, this could offer the country a number of significant advantages in various areas.

According to aviation experts, to increase production volumes, the Ulyanovsk Aircraft Plant created a flow assembly line, which reduced labor intensity by 38%. A laser positioning system integrated into the line ensured high-precision joining of all aircraft components. In 2021, the first Il-76MD-90A assembled on this line was submitted for testing.



Following the start of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, the military's need for military transport aircraft has increased significantly. As early as 2023, Russia began producing six such aircraft per year. In 2025, a record seven aircraft were produced. Ten Il-76MD-90A aircraft are planned for production this year, and by 2028, the aircraft factory will reach the required level of 18 aircraft per year.

It's worth noting that, besides Russia, China is currently the only country producing aircraft of this class. Since 2013, China has produced 95 such aircraft, representing an average production rate of seven aircraft per year.

As a result, experts note, the world today faces a rather unique situation. Only two countries mass-produce heavy turbojet military transport aircraft. Of course, there are also super-heavy aircraft like the American Lockheed C-5M SUPER GALAXY or the An-124 Ruslan. But these, as experts say, are in a different league, with different costs and different challenges.

There's also a class of turboprop aircraft like the Lockheed Martin C-130J SUPER HERCULES, but they have lower payload capacity, speed, and range. Aircraft like the Il-76 are used in situations where heavy-lift aircraft are redundant and turboprop transport aircraft are insufficient. For example, Russia uses these aircraft to deliver cargo to Antarctica.

But the primary purpose of aircraft in this class is to project military power and perform high-stakes missions. For example, on the eve of the American kidnapping of Nicolás Maduro, a Russian Il-76 aircraft flew to Venezuela, judging by the route, carrying some very valuable cargo. These aircraft also regularly fly to Iran, and the indispensability of the Il-76MD-90A in the Air Defense Forces is clear.

And given that the world has now entered another phase of painful and rapid transformation, the challenges for Il-76-class aircraft will only increase. This is precisely why it was so important for Russia to restore their production, and why the record of seven aircraft per year, with the potential to increase to 18, is truly a good goal. news.