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*[[North American Tactical Aviation, Inc.]] A private firm, purchased several IL-78s for their outsourced, air to air inflight operations with various U.S. DoD agencies.<ref>{{cite web|title=FAA Registry for N78GF|url=http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=78GF&x=0&y=0|publisher=FAA|accessdate=March 21, 2010}}</ref><ref>[http://www.airliners.net/photo/Ilyushin-Il-78/1088298/L/ Photo of N78GF at airliners.net]</ref>
*[[North American Tactical Aviation, Inc.]] A private firm, purchased several IL-78s for their outsourced, air to air inflight operations with various U.S. DoD agencies.<ref>{{cite web|title=FAA Registry for N78GF|url=http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=78GF&x=0&y=0|publisher=FAA|accessdate=March 21, 2010}}</ref><ref>[http://www.airliners.net/photo/Ilyushin-Il-78/1088298/L/ Photo of N78GF at airliners.net]</ref>
*[[Tactical Air Defense Services, Inc.]] A private firm, operates several IL-78s for outsourced U.S. an NATO contracts for air to air inflight operations with various U.S. DoD agencies.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tactical Air Defense|url=http://www.finance.yahoo.com/news/Tactical-Air-Defense-Services-pz-1275730184.html}}</ref><ref>[http://www.defenseprocurementnews.com/topics/companies/tactical-air-defense-services/]</ref>
*[[Tactical Air Defense Services, Inc.]] A private firm, operates several IL-78s for outsourced U.S. an NATO contracts for air to air inflight operations with various U.S. DoD agencies.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tactical Air Defense|url=http://www.finance.yahoo.com/news/Tactical-Air-Defense-Services-pz-1275730184.html}}</ref><ref>[http://www.defenseprocurementnews.com/topics/companies/tactical-air-defense-services/]</ref>
*[[Air Support Systems LLC.]] A private company that is the registered owner on file with the FAA as N78GF. Air Support Systems LLC is owned by Gary Fears, an individual that is known for casino gaming ties to native american tribes throughout the U.S., Air Support Systems LLC., leased the IL-78 N78GF to Tactical Air Defense Services Inc.<ref>{{cite web|title=N78GF|url=http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=78GF}}</ref><ref>[http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/2003-01-30/news/gamblin-men/3]</ref><ref>[http://www.realpennies.com/index.php?option=com_stocksonline&controller=company&view=shownewsitem&id=29575&symbol=TADF]</ref>



===Potential operators===
===Potential operators===

Revision as of 19:36, 8 April 2010

Il-78
An Il-78 of Russian Air Force
Role Inflight refuelling tanker
Manufacturer Ilyushin
First flight 26 June 1983
Einführung 1984 (Il-78)
Primary users Russian Air Force
Ukrainian Air Force
Indian Air Force
People's Liberation Army Air Force
Pakistan Air Force
Produced 53[1]
Developed from Ilyushin Il-76

The Ilyushin Il-78 (NATO reporting name Midas) is a four-engined aerial refueling tanker based on the Il-76.

Design and development

The Il-76 tanker was conceived as long ago as 1968, but the transferable fuel load for the initial version was only 10 tonnes, which was insufficient, and development was shelved. When the higher performance Il-76 became available, the tanker project was re-started, as the Il-78, in 1982.

In addition to the increased fuel load of the late model Il-76, the Il-78 has two, removable, 18,230 l fuel tanks installed in the freight hold, giving a transferable load of 85,720 kg (188,584 lb) with hold tanks and 57,720 kg (126,984 lb) without hold tanks. Controlled from the Gunners cockpit, which is stripped of military equipment, three aircraft may refuel in flight, simultaneously, from the UPAZ-1A (Il-78) / UPAZ-1M (Il-78M) refuelling pods fitted to the outer wings and rear fuselage. In addition four aircraft can also be refuelled on the ground using conventional refuelling hoses extending from the freight hold. Due to the high weights after take-off, which, in an emergency, would mean landing at weights well in excess of maximum allowable landing weight, the Il-78 has a fuel jettison system, with jettison ports at the wingtips.

Soon after the Il-78 passed acceptance tests, in 1984, Ilyushin were instructed to design and produce an upgraded version to be known as Il-78M. The Il-78M is a dedicated tanker and cannot be converted back to the transport role easily. Adding a third freight hold tank increases the transferrable fuel to 105,720 kg (233,070 lb), and the Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) to 210,000 kg ,which required the wing torsion box to be strengthened. Fitted with the improved UPAZ-1M refuelling pods, the maximum fuel flow was increased to 2,340 l/min (514.8 Imp gal/min). Because the Il-78M is not "convertible" all cargo handling equipment is removed and cargo doors deleted, saving approximately 5,000 kg in structural weight.

Early versions of the Il-78 have the fuselage pod mounted on a short horizontal pylon, but the Il-78M has the fuselage pod suspended from an identical pylon to the wing pods, attached to a short stub wing, this modification was carried out to isolate the pod from turbulence generated by the fuselage, with the added benefit of commonality with the wing pod/pylon combination. Il-78s were produced with Aeroflot colours and civilian registrations, but production Il-78Ms received military markings, registration and colour scheme.

The majority of the twenty Il-78 aircraft on the strength of the Ukrainian Air Force have been permanently converted to pure transports by removal of freight hold tanks and refuelling equipment.

Operational history

All Russian Air Force Il-78s are now part of the special 203rd "Orlovski" Regiment of aerial tankers, based at Engels-2/Saratov air base.

Variants

Il-78
The Il-78 was the original production version with two removable fuselage tanks, giving a maximum transferable load of 85.72 tonnes (188,540 lb).
Il-78T
Alternative designation for Il-78 due to retention of all cargo handling equipment and convertible freight hold.
Il-78M
The Il-78M entered service in 1987 as a dedicated tanker equipped with three permanent fuselage tanks, a higher gross weight of 210 tons, and no cargo door or cargo handling equipment, the cargo ramp is retained but non-functional. The total fuel capacity of the Il-78M is 138 tonnes (303,600 lb), of which 105.7 tonnes (232,540 lb) is transferable.[2]
Il-78ME
Export version of Il-78M.
Il-78MKI
Customized variant of the Il-78ME for the Indian Air Force. These Uzbekistan-built planes are fitted with Israeli fuel transferring systems and can refuel 6-8 Sukhoi Su-30MKIs in one mission.[3][4]
Il-78MP
Multi-role aerial refuelling tanker/transport aircraft, with removable fuel tanks in cargo hold and UPAZ refuelling pods, for the Pakistan Air Force.[5][6].

Operators

As of 14 March 2009, 34 Il-78s remain in operation.[1]

A Tu-95MS simulating aerial refueling with an Ilyushin Il-78 during the Victory Day Parade in Moscow on 9 May 2008.
Il-78MKI in-service with the Indian Air Force
 Algerien
 People's Republic of China
 Indien
  • Indian Air Force bought 6 aircraft. Customized version of Il-78 known as the Il-78MKI have been inducted into the Air Force. The Indian Air Force refers to the aircraft as "MARS" (Mid Air Refuelling System) and has raised a new unit (No 78 Sqn).
 Libyen
 Pakistan
  • Pakistan Air Force - 4 Il-78MP ordered from Ukrainian surplus aircraft stocks, fitted with PS-90 engines and UPAZ refuelling pods,[5][6] first aircraft delivered in December 2009.[6][7]
 Russland
 Ukraine
 Vereinigte Staaten
  • North American Tactical Aviation, Inc. A private firm, purchased several IL-78s for their outsourced, air to air inflight operations with various U.S. DoD agencies.[9][10]
  • Tactical Air Defense Services, Inc. A private firm, operates several IL-78s for outsourced U.S. an NATO contracts for air to air inflight operations with various U.S. DoD agencies.[11][12]
  • Air Support Systems LLC. A private company that is the registered owner on file with the FAA as N78GF. Air Support Systems LLC is owned by Gary Fears, an individual that is known for casino gaming ties to native american tribes throughout the U.S., Air Support Systems LLC., leased the IL-78 N78GF to Tactical Air Defense Services Inc.[13][14][15]


Potential operators

Specifications (Il-78M)[4]

This aircraft article is missing some (or all) of its specifications. If you have a source, you can help Wikipedia by adding them.

General characteristics

  • Crew: Six
  • Capacity: 138,000 kg (304,233 lb) of fuelSpecial 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

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References

Notes

  1. ^ a b "Il-78 Production Numbers". AeroTransport Data Bank.
  2. ^ Gordon, Yefim; Kommissarov, Dmitriy (2002). Ilyushin Il-76, Russia's Versatile Airlifter. Midland. ISBN 1857801067.
  3. ^ Mukherjee, Amit (September 29, 2004). "IAF to get 5th IL-78 refueller soon". The TImes of India.
  4. ^ a b IL-78MKI Midas at Indian Military Database
  5. ^ a b Ansari, Usman (3 November 2008). "Pakistan Eyes Boost in Transport, Lift". Defense News.
  6. ^ a b c "Pakistan Receiving IL-78 Refueling aircraft". Defense Industry Daily. 2008-12-08. Retrieved 2009-07-24.
  7. ^ "First aircraft tanker arrives in Pakistan: PAF". GEO Pakistan. December 19, 2009.
  8. ^ "Ukraine - Air Force Equipment". GlobalSecurity.org.
  9. ^ "FAA Registry for N78GF". FAA. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
  10. ^ Photo of N78GF at airliners.net
  11. ^ "Tactical Air Defense".
  12. ^ [1]
  13. ^ "N78GF".
  14. ^ [2]
  15. ^ [3]
  16. ^ "Venezuela To Spend One Billion Dollar Russian Loan On Air Defense". RIA Novosti. October 2, 2008.

Bibliography

  • Gordon, Yefim (2004). OKB Ilyushin: a history of the design bureau and its aircraft. Ian Allan. ISBN 1 85780 187 3.

The initial version of this article was based on material from aviation.ru. It has been released under the GFDL by the copyright holder.

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