The next-generation military-transport aircraft (PAK TA) may have a lifting fuselage, ITAR-TASS reports with reference to the CEO of Ilyushin Company, Yuri Yudin.

In spring 2014 it was reported that Russian defense industry started development of the next-generation military-transport aircraft.

"We are considering different designs and aerodynamic configurations in order to develop a brand-new next-generation aircraft. At present the configurations, both traditional and new ones, are being analyzed in the network of scientific research work", - Yudin said.

According to him, Ilyushin Company together with the specialists of Myasishchev design bureau is developing a configuration featuring a lifting fuselage – in this configuration the airframe itself generates lift.

"It is hard to say what configuration will be chosen by our designers and scientists. It will be discussed in 2016. I suppose that the preparation for signing this contract with Russian Ministry of Defense will be started in 2016-2017", - Yudin added.

Nevertheless, he noted that this work is a preliminary one and designers of Ilyushin are going to “step forward” in the network of this project.