Southeast Asia, Africa, China to purchase Russia’s upgraded Il-76TD transport plane

The plane's takeoff weight has been increased from 170 to 190 tons and its maximum payload has risen from 47 to 52 tons.

Southeast Asia, Africa and China will be among customers to buy Russia’s upgraded Ilyushin Il-76TD transport planes, Ilyushin Aviation Company General Designer Nikolay Talikov said on Friday.

"Among foreign countries, these are primarily Southeast Asia and Africa [that will place orders for the plane] as well as China," he said.

Basic orders for the upgraded Il-76TD plane will be made in Russia mostly by various ministries and departments, primarily the Emergencies Ministry and aviation of the Federal Security Service and the Interior Ministry, Talikov said.

The general designer could not specify the number of planes needed to be produced annually.

Earlier, the Tashkent Aviation Plant in Uzbekistan produced 72 planes a year but the market situation has changed, he added.

"Earlier, the customers on the market included Middle East countries - Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya and Egypt. Today these countries are not among customers," Talikov said.

The Il-76TD is a transport modification of the Il-76T plane. Its takeoff weight has been increased from 170 to 190 tons and its maximum payload from 47 to 52 tons.

The designers have also increased the flight range with the maximum payload by reinforcing the wing and fuselage structures and the landing gear.