Overview
Based on (or converted from) the airframe of the Il-76M military freighter, this aerial refueling tanker aircraft entered service in 1987 to replace the elderly and incapable Myasishchev M-4 “Bison”.
Fitted with three Severin/UPAZ PAE external refueling units, one under each wing (which are reportedly sometimes removed on missions involving only a single receiver aircraft) and one mounted on the port side of the rear fuselage, the Il-78 is a three (or sometimes two) point air-to-air probe and drogue tanker aircraft capable of delivering fuel at a rate of 900 to 2,200 liters/min.
Internally the Il-78 has a pair of enormous cylindrical, pallet-mounted fuel tanks in the cargo hold, together containing 35 tonnes of the aircraft’s 100-tonne total transferable fuel load. The refueling process is monitored by an observer occupying the former tail gunner’s position and controlled from the flight engineer’s station in the cockpit. Receiver/tanker rendezvous is facilitated by a simple homing radar housed behind a broad flat aft-facing radome located forward of the standard rear loading ramp.
Specifications
Official Designation | Il-78 |
NATO Code Name | Midas |
U.S. Counterpart | Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker (1965) |
Primary Role | Aerial tanker |
National Origin | Uzbekistan |
Manufacturer | Ilyushin Design Bureau |
Wingspan | 165 feet, 8 inches (50.50m) |
Length | 152 feet, 10 inches (46.59m) |
Height at Tail | 48 feet, 5 inches (14.76m) |
Engines | Four Soloviev D-30KP turbofans |
Thrust | 26,455 pounds (117.7kN) per engine |
Cruise Speed | 482 mph (775km/h) |
Max Speed | 528 mph (850km/h) |
Service Ceiling | 34,400 feet (10,500m) |
Operating Weight | Unknown |
Max Takeoff Weight | 374,785 pounds (170,000kg) |
Basic Crew | Unknown |
Date Deployed | Unknown |
Total in Service | Unknown |