Il-78 aerial Inflight refuelling tanker aircraft

[MZUBAIR]

Pakistan has ordered 4 Il-78MP Midas aerial refuelling tanker aircraft from Ukraine

 

[MZUBAIR]

India bought 6 aircraft. Customized version of Il-78 known as the Il-78MKI have been inducted into the Air Force for SU-30 MKI.

 

[MZUBAIR]

General characteristics
Crew: Six
Capacity: 138,000 kg (304,233 lb) of fuel
Length: 46.59 m (152 ft 10 in)
Wingspan: 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in)
Height: 14.76 m (37 ft 1 in)
Wing area: 300 m² (3,230 ft&#178
Empty weight: 72,000 kg (202,821 lb)
Useful load: 85,720 kg (188,980 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 210,000 kg (462,962 lb)
Powerplant: 4× Aviadvigatel D-30 KP turbofan engines, 118 kN (26,500 lbf) each
Special equipment: 3 x UPAZ-1M 'Sakhalin', (oonifitseerovannyy podvesnoy agregaht zaprahvki - standardised suspended refuelling unit), refuelling pods; Two on pylons under the outer wings, and the third on the port side of the rear fuselage.

Performance

Maximum speed: 850 km/h (460 kn, 530 mph)
Range: 7,300 km (3,942 nmi, 4,551 mi)
Service ceiling: 12,000 m (39,360 ft)
Thrust/weight: 0.23

 

[sob]

There are problems with this aircraft that is the reason why despite using this for nearly 6 years IAF has now deceided to go in for
Airbus A 330 MRRT.

Moreover recently this aircraft has recd. good orders from Saudi Arabia,UAE, Australia and UK.

Just found this on the web

The IAF seems mighty impressed with the fuel capacity and "logistical agility" of the platform compared with the Ilyushin-78M that the IAF currently uses. In fact, the IAF is completely smitten with the idea of a tanker that has optimum fuel capacity and still does not interfere with the space in the main cargo deck -- which means the A330 can refuel, deliver men and equipment in a single compound sortie, giving logistical planners a huge amount of operational planning flexibility. It's still early days though.

http://livefist.blogspot.com/2009/01/iaf-leans-towards-a330-as-its-next.html

 

[MZUBAIR]

There are problems with this aircraft that is the reason why despite using this for nearly 6 years IAF has now deceided to go in for
Airbus A 330 MRRT.

Moreover recently this aircraft has recd. good orders from Saudi Arabia,UAE, Australia and UK.

Just found this on the web

LiveFist: IAF leans towards A330 as its next flight refueller

Could you please highlight problems in Il-78

 

[MZUBAIR]

I read from this artical that PAF have already got 2 Il-78 aerial Inflight refuelling tanker aircraft in Dec 08.

Il-78 Tankers Arrive in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Two Il-78MP Midas tanker aircraft have arrived in Pakistan, apparently the first of four purchased from the Ukraine.

Though the Pakistan Air Force declined to comment, the two aircraft landed at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi on December 2, and were clearly visible from the observation lounge in their low-observation-gray PAF livery.

Though it was unusual that the two military aircraft did not land at the nearby Masroor or Faisal air bases, their presence validates November reports in local media about their impending arrival.

But reports that Cobham was to equip Pakistan's Il-78s with refueling pods were incorrect. A Cobham official said at last week's biannual Pakistani defense exhibition, IDEAS2008, that the pods were still the Soviet-designed UPAZs, and that the refueling kits on receiving aircraft, such as the newly upgraded Mirage-IIIs, were likely to be South African in origin.

The Il-78s will give the PAF its first airborne refueling capability. They will help train Pakistani crews in mid-air refueling techniques, and once operational will be used to refuel the Mirage-III and eventually JF-17 Thunder.

Air Force officials did confirm the $108 million order of 100 MAR-1 anti-radiation missiles from the Brazilian company Mectron, a deal signed in April but only now revealed. Few details are known about the MAR-1, and for many years its existence was denied. With confirmation of the deal, Pakistan appears to be the first export customer for the missile, which is also in service with the Brazilian air force.

 

[BSF]

Any other news source to confirm this.
I am just asking because google does not show any other links than the one you have provided.
Just to be sure that is it.
I am doubtful as Il 78 is Russian/Ukrainian,and this will have serious implications with either countries defense deals back in India.

 

[Munir]

Any other news source to confirm this.
I am just asking because google does not show any other links than the one you have provided.
Just to be sure that is it.
I am doubtful as Il 78 is Russian/Ukrainian,and this will have serious implications with either countries defense deals back in India.

Sure, everything is controlled by superpower India... As far as i know ?Mil's are flying and even rd93 does a fine job sofar...

 

[Shiji]

Okay let me ask a question, When India got the Il-78's, everyone from Indian side was talking about how inferior the PAF has now become. Now when we get the same thing its like " It wont affect the STRATEGICAL BALANCE in the region". We get Bullpups Indian say that they won't work but when India gets the Tevor they are happy. Why are Indians Double Faced? Can't Indian people be true to their word?

 

[sob]

Could you please highlight problems in Il-78

According to my sources spares have been a problem for this aircraft.

But primary reason was due to the fact that tanker has optimum fuel capacity and still does not interfere with the space in the main cargo deck. This opens multiple options for the IAF.

And as Wiki states The Il-78M is a dedicated tanker and cannot be converted back to the transport role easily.

Otherwise IL 78 is a proven workhorse and India has been operating more than 40 of these air crafts considering both the IL 76 and IL 78 version.

 

[FulcrumD]

There is absolutely no problem with the IL-78 s,only that IAF has found a better platform which can perform multimission roles in a single sortie.

 

[sancho]

There is absolutely no problem with the IL-78 s,only that IAF has found a better platform which can perform multimission roles in a single sortie.

That's it, they are good and will be useful for PAF too, but IAF didn't add more because of the multi role capability of A330 MRTT. Even US chose them because of that reason instead of Boeing tankers.

 

[echo 1]

I have not seen any pic of our Il-78 yet are thy going though a mlu or something

 

[PAFAce]

I am doubtful as Il 78 is Russian/Ukrainian,and this will have serious implications with either countries defense deals back in India.

We're getting the Ukrainian ones (the two delivered were most likely for testing purposes, as some have said that our 4 are not here yet). It is almost a done deal. The IL-78 is one of the most capable platforms in its category, ane even the Americans have put it to use. Therefore, it is foolish to say they are not capable. The only reason we may opt out of this deal is if we are offered something similar from the Chinese or the West (more precisely, the Europeans, since the Americans are currently working on their own Tanker-X program). Other than that, the Chinese operate IL-78s, and India couldn't do much about that, so I don't see what it can do about the Pakistani deal.

See, BSF, the Indians need the Russians more than the Russians need the Indians. Same is true for China. That is not to say that India is not important to the Russian defence industry, it is one of its prime customers afterall, but the customer can't tell the supplier how to run his business. India can't dictate terms to the Russians, it can merely lobby or campaign, which it is very good at, I must admit. I don't mean this to sling mud at India, it is just a fact. The Chinese have gotten over it, India will too. Russian defence dreams span much wider then just China or India. As for Ukraine, well, they will take what they can get. They don't really have too many others lined up to turn down willing customers.

In short, no, there's not much India can do about the deal unless it decides to buy the IL-78s offered to Pakistan. But, since they're moving to European suppliers, I don't see that happening.

 

[TOPGUN]

Well still wating to see them! i understand the mirages & jf-17's will be taken care of wat about our fc-20's and f-16's?