It is planned to carry out the production of more than 100 Il-476 military transport aircraft by 2020. These vehicles will be used not only for transportation, but also for special missions on behalf of EMERCOM and as a flight data centers, Rossiyskaya Gazeta reports.
The scope of the state defense order for these jets has been declared by vice-premier, Dmitry Rogozin, who has visited Ulyanovsk-based Aviastar-SP. "The deliveries to Ministry of Defense should be started in 2014 - 2015, - he noted. – We will discuss the order’s distribution and the schedule of deliveries with the ministry. We will try to find a solution, when we would be able to start using funds, intended for 2014-2015, this and next year".
The workshop for assembly of Il-476 has been opened for the first time during Rogozin’s visit. The authorities and employees of the enterprise have been using the “Item 476” designation for the jet earlier. Now the technical characteristics of the aircraft have been unveiled.
The new aircraft is the modernization of Il-76 military transport aircraft (it has been assembled in Tashkent earlier). It has serious distinctions from its “predecessor”. Il-476 has the new wing design, intended for maximum takeoff weight of 210 tons instead of 190 tons, its range has been extended by 18% and its fuel efficiency has been increased by 15%. It has an improved thrust/weight ratio and takeoff and landing performance, which is especially important under the conditions of uplands. Il-476 is equipped with new engines manufactured in Perm’, with a thrust of 14,5 tons each. The jet meets ICAO requirements on noise and emission. The number of crew members has been decreased from 7 to 6. The jet is equipped with digital control systems and the advanced navigation target acquisition system, which allows usage of foreign and Russian equipment.
The testing of Il-476 should be started this spring. "We have launched the production of three aircraft from the pilot batch and signed a contract with UAC – Transport Aircraft. The first two aircraft should be delivered in 2013", - Sergey Dementyev, CEO of Aviastar, explained. Meanwhile, according to Dmitry Rogozin, the question of “fair price” has not been squared by the airframer and the customer. "I believe we should specify the price (in the state defense order), which allows the enterprise’s employees having more than region’s average salary. It is a very important factor, which will be discussed with the Ministry of Defense ". Possibly, such an agreement will also enlarge on the Ulyanovsk aviation plant.