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IL-76 CANDID: STATUS AND OUTLOOK FOR THE SOVIETS MAJOR TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT PROGRAM

Document Type: 
CREST [1]
Collection: 
General CIA Records [2]
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP90T01298R000300250001-4
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RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
T
Document Page Count: 
26
Document Creation Date: 
December 22, 2016
Document Release Date: 
November 9, 2009
Sequence Number: 
1
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
December 1, 1985
Content Type: 
REPORT
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Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Tnn Qarraf Intelligence IL-76 Candid: Status and Outlook for the Soviets' Major Transport Aircraft Program A Research Paper NOT f lICRO LMED 0 o #o, Copee . - ----- F@r Data Entry ?niy NGA Review Completed Top Secret IA 85-10062JX December 1985 COPY 43 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Program IL-76 Candid: Status and Outlook for the Soviets' Major Transport Aircraft 25X1 25X1 Office of Soviet Analysis, and lice of Scientific and Weapons Re- search, contributed to this report. Comments and queries are welcome and may be Top Secret IA 85-10062JX 25X1 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Top Secret Major Transport Aircraft Program IL-76 Candid: Status and Outlook for the Soviets' Summary The Soviet IL-76 transport aircraft-codenamed Candid by NATO- Inforuintion available forms the backbone of the Soviets' military air transport assets and as q/-/ December 1985 will continue to do so into the next century. It is similar in mission inns used in this report. and design to the US C-141 but can carry a greater payload, althou h to a lesser n 25X1 25X1 25X1 states throughout the world. The IL-76s assigned to the military are replacing the older and less ca- pable AN-12 aircraft in Soviet Military Transportation Aviation, the Soviet equivalent of the US Military Airlift Command. By 1992, we project that all military AN-12s will have been replaced by IL-76s, providing Soviet Military Transport Aviation with a fleet of some 440 of these aircraft. (By comparison, some 285 C-141 s were produced for the US military.) The primary mission of the aircraft is to provide the airlift for Soviet airborne forces. Compared to the capabilities of an AN-12, an IL-76 can carry a greater variety of equipment, can carry over twice the weight, and can carry that weight twice as far at a third higher speed. These capabilities enable the Soviet airborne forces and their equipment to be delivered and resupplied, without refueling, to almost all of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. The IL-76 also increases the Soviets' ability to conduct massive airlifts to client AWACS variant and an in-flight refueling tanker vari- ant of the IL-76 began cause of the growing Soviet need for these special-pur- pose aircra t, we estimate they will produce at least another 25 AWACS and 70 to 80 more tankers. The AWACS variant provides the Soviets with a sophisticated radar capable of tracking low-flying tar- gets and directing Soviet fighters to intercept them. The AWACS is the only IL-76 with an in-flight refueling capability and will probably 25X1 iii Top Secret IA 85-10062JX Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Top Secret ers as well. be refueled by IL-76 tankers. IL-76 tankers will probably be produced in sufficient numbers to support strategic bombers and tactical fight- to be 60 aircraft per year, and our analysis Based on our estimate of the Soviets' requirements for IL-76 aircraft, we believe they will probably produce 280 to 330 more aircraft, mak- ing a total production run of 750 to 800. The Soviet military will con- tinue to receive most of these aircraft. We estimate current production indicates that this figure is at or very near the peak of pro- continue to be produced. uction. We expect this peak rate to be maintained for only a year or two longer before production begins to taper off. The decline will probably he caused by diminishing requirements for standard IL-76s, increasing production of the more complex AWACS and tanker vari- ants, and the beginning of major component production for the new heavy transport aircraft, the AN- 124. We estimate that about three to five AWACS and about six to eight tankers will be produced each year until Soviet requirements for these variants are satisfied. We expect that civil and export models, as well as additional variants, will also 25X1 Top Secret iv Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 top secret 25X1 Contents Summary IL-76 Performance and Capability Military Aircraft Civil (Aeroflot) Aircraft Export Aircraft Electronic Support B. Special-Purpose IL-76s Page 5 25X1 8 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Top Secret Scope Note This paper presents a comprehensive discussion of the Soviet IL-76 Candid transport aircraft program. It describes the capabilities of this aircraft, discusses its primary role as a military transport, and address- es the more recent development of AWACS and in-flight refueling 25X1 variants projections are made of IL-76 requirements 25X1 vii Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Top Secret IL-76 Candid: Status and Outlook for the Soviets' Major Transport Aircraft Program fl As the Soviets rebuilt and expanded their econo- my and military forces in the decades following World War II, the need arose for larger and more capable transport aircraft. Transports were needed that would be large enough to carry construction equipment and supplies to growing communities and resource exploration sites in the Soviet Far East and Siberia, and to move Soviet airborne troops and their equipment to potential conflict sites beyond the homeland borders. The inspira- tion for an aircraft to fulfill this role came during the early 1960s with the development of the US Lockheed C-141 Starlifter. This new US aircraft stimulated Soviet interest in a new transport, and and general appearance to the C- 141 and incorpo- rated many of its design features. Some features, however, were altered to conform to Soviet pro- duction capabilities or to better satisfy Soviet user requirements. Five prototype aircraft, designated IL-76 by the Soviets and Candid by NATO, were built between 1969 and late 1972. The first of these had its initial flight in late 1970 and was The Soviets have invested heavily in resources that appear de ica ted to a aircraft has performed satisfactorily and will prob- ably fulfill most of the Soviets' military transport requirements and many civil requirements into the 21st century. Two variants of the IL-76, an AWACS and an in-flight refueling tanker, have only recently entered series production; it is un- likely that the military requirements for these air- craft will be satisfied until the early 1990s. F_ long production run of the IL-76. Apparently the IL-76 Performance and Capability requirements for the IL-76 specified that the air- craft be capable of transporting a 40-ton payload over 5,000 kilometers in not more than six and a half hours. These requirements established the ba- sic structural and fuel weights of the IL-76 and, in fact, were among the advertised performance char- acteristics given by the Soviets during the initial display of the aircraft at Paris in 1971. At that time the new director of the Ilyushin OKB, Gen- rikh Novozhilov, announced that the IL-76 was a 25X1 military transport with a secondary role as a civil bulk cargo carrier. IL-76s are produced for both military and civil 25X1 25X1 The military IL-76 has a tail-gun 25X1 turret Other di erences between military and civil air- craft, however, are probably minimal. All IL-76s, with the probable exception of AWACS variants, are equipped with an integral loading ramp and can load and unload cargo without much airfield support equipment. This capability and the under- carriage, designed for rough field use, enable both the military and civil IL-76 to use many of the un- improved airstrips found in remote areas of the Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90T01298R000300250001-4 Top Secret of personnel or paratroops. have reinforced cargo floors for heavy equipment and pressurized cargo compartments for transport compares them with those of the C-141 In appearance and size the IL-76 is much like its US counterpart, the C-141 (figure 1). While the Ilyushin Design Bureau obviously borrowed heavi- ly from the Lockheed C-141, they did not simply copy it. The IL-76 fuselage diameter is greater than that of the C-141 to accommodate wider equipment; its landing gear is heavier for rough field use; and it can carry a larger payload, al- though to a lesser range. Table 2 lists the known characteristics and capacities of the IL-76 and 190,000 kilograms Candids initially were designated IL-76 and had a maximum takeoff weight of 157,000 kilograms. Later Candids-IL-76T and IL-76M-have maxi- mum takeoff weights of 170,000 kilograms, with the weight increase due to a larger fuel capacity. The early IL-76s are now being retrofitted to have the 170,000-kilogram gross weight and increased fuel load. Within the last few years, two additional types of Candids have entered production-the IL-76TD and IL-76MD. These newer variants re- portedly have an additional increase in fuel capac- ity and a heavier maximum takeoff weight of East. The range and payload capabilities of the IL-76 25X1 are greatly superior to most Soviet cargo transport aircraft. Only the old AN-22 (Cock) and the newly designed AN- 124 (Condor), not yet in production, can lift more cargo and carry it farther. There are more than six times as many IL-76s as there are AN-22s available for airlift operations. The IL-76 force is thus the primary vehicle for air transport and enables the Soviet airborne forces and their equipment to be delivered and resupplied to al- most all of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90T01298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Top Secret Figure 1 Soviet IL-76 and US C-141 Transports Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Top Secret Table 2 Aircraft Characteristics and Capacities IL-76T and IL-76M C-141B IL-76T and IL-76M C-141B Length (exclu- ding ramp) 19.7 27.7 Wing span 50.5 48.8 Wing area (square meters) 329 300 Wing sweep (degrees) 27 27 Ramp Slope (degrees) 10 15 Manufacturer Soloviyev Pratt and Whitney Maximum takeoff (kilograms) I70,000d I55,600b D-30KP (four) TF 33-P-7 (four) No payload (kilograms) IL-76T: 82,000d IL-76M: 86,000d 65,500 Thrust rating (kilograms) 12,000 9,530 Maximum payload (kilograms) 40,0004 42,900b Specific fuel consumption at takeoff (kilogram/ kilogram/hour) .50-.55 .56 Maximum fuel (kilograms) 84,500d 69,600 Cruise speed (kilometers/hour) 750-800 750-785 Crew 5 to 7 4 (plus 4 alternate) Cruise altitude (kilometers) 10-13 10-12.5 Range with maximum payload (kilometers) IL-76T 4,400 IL-76M 4,000a 4,600b Note: Undefined measurements are in meters. 'The IL-76TD and MD variants have roughly a 1,700-kilo- meter greater range. bThis number is fora G4oad factor of 2.25. At a 2.5 G-load factor the range would change to 5,100 kilometers and the take- off distance to 1,800 meters. Takeoff weight would decrease to 146,600 kilograms and payload to 33,700 kilograms. `Calculated at sea level, with maximum weight, to clear a 15-meter height at end of runway. dThe IL-76TD and MD variants have a maximum takeoff weight of 190,000 kilograms. Maximum fuel weight is esti- mated to be 90,500 kilograms and maximum payload at least 50,000 kilograms. Maximum landing weight may also have increased. The operating weight when empty is proba- bly somewhat greater than that of the IL-76 and IL-76M. 'Capacity is 225 people if the plane has a double-deck con- figuration. Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90T01298R000300250001-4 Top Secret 25X1 Soviet and US Production: Major Differences in Philosophy The IL-76 production rates, while fairly representa- tive of Soviet aircraft production, are dissimilar to the rates.found in a profit-oriented market such as the US industry. Contrasting the IL- 76 and its US lookalike, the C-141, reveals some of the major dif- ferences in production philosophy.- IL- 76 ? 470 built between 1974 and late 1985; average 39 per year. ? Overall number likely to increase by 65 percent as production continues into the 1990s. C- 141 ? 285 built between 1963 and 1965; average 95 per year. ? 270 of the original C-14/s were modified between 1979 and 1982 to extend their role life. The number of IL- 76s built by the Soviets in the first nine years of production is similar to the num- ber of C-141s built by the US in three years. The US manufacturers, responding to USAir Force pro- curement allowances for these three years, began a high-volume, mass production program. In con- trast, the Soviets-working with long-term central planning cycles, quota systems, parts supply diff- culties, and antiquated manufacturing machin- ery-have opted for a long and steady production run. Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90T01298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 The increasing output of IL-76s over the past de- cade can be represented graphically by means of a "learning curve." In a mass production program for complex items such as an aircraft, administra- tive, delivery, and assembly procedures should be- come more efficient over time, reducing the effort and cost of later units. This movement toward in- creased efficiency can be plotted and used to de- scribe and predict production output at various points during a production program. The increase in output of IL-76s since 1974 shows such a trend towards increased efficiency and correlates with a 76-percent learning curve (that is, only 76 percent of the time is needed to produce the 200th plane as was needed to produce the 100th plane). Figure 2 IL-76 Production, 1973.85 Number of Aircraft 601 (he increase in output since that time is adequately explained as a function of the learning curve. A later section of this paper will return to these factors and the potential they have in helping predict future IL-76 output. Number of Aircraft 500 f 0l / 1 ' r r 1 r r r 1 r 1 1973 1975 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 oU 1973 I . 1 r r 11977 1 1979 1981 1983 1985 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 Top Secret 6 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90T01298R000300250001-4 Top Secret Deployment During the first two and a half years of produc- tion, all IL-76s (about 35 aircraft) were delivered to the Soviet military. Since then, allocations of newly produced IL-76s have gone to other custom- ers as well as the military, and the allocation ratios have remained fairly constant throughout the pro- duction run. About 70 percent have gone to the military, 11 percent to Soviet civil aviation (Aero- flot), 12 percent have been exported, and 7 percent have been modified for special roles. Of those IL- 76s modified for special roles, two variants-an AWACS and a refueling tanker-have recently been developed into production models, but only a 25X1 few have been produced so far al. The IL- 76 has been a reliable aircraft, and at least ninety- eight percent of those produced are still operation- Military Aircraft The primary customer for IL-76s has been Soviet Military Transport Aviation (Voyenno-Transport- naya Aviatsiya-VTA), the Soviet equivalent of the US Military Airlift Command (MAC). By late 1985, we estimate 330 military IL-76s had been produced The Impact of IL-76s on Soviet Airborne Forces The IL- 76 brings capabilities to Soviet military transport service that are significantly greater than those of the AN-12. An individual IL-76 holds, roughly, twice as much cargo as theAN-12 and can carry it twice as far at a third higher speed. For the VTA, the principal user, the IL- 76 offers many im- provements over the AN- 12. A regiment ofIL-76s can carry about 560, 000 kilograms (50 percent of its maximum payload) up to a distance of 6,500 ki- lometers in a single airlift. (The IL- 76 TD and MD variants can travel over 7,500 kilometers with the same weight.) An AN-12 regiment is able to move only about 350,000 kilograms (50 percent of its maximum load) a distance of 3,300 kilometers. In an airborne role, compared to the AN-12, the IL-76 can: ? Carry three rather than two BMD armored per- sonnel carriers. ? Carry 125 rather than 60 paratroopers. ? Carry its passengers in a pressurized cabin, rather than requiring individual oxygen sup- plies because of unpressurized cabins. Concurrent with the upgrading of the VTA with IL- 76s, there has been a modernization of the Soviet airborne forces. They are being equipped with larg- er numbers of new, air-transportable weapons and vehicles, which require the greater lift capability of the IL-76 regiments. 76 regiment, however, is roughly double that of an AN-12 regiment. f The replacement of AN-12s with IL-76s has not been on a one-for-one basis. An AN- 12 regiment, comprising 33 to 36 aircraft, is being replaced by a regiment of 28 IL-76s.4 The lift capability of an IL- The principal mission of the VTA (and thus of the IL-76) is to provide airlift support to the Soviet Airborne Forces. Additional missions include transport of nuclear weapons, logistic support for Soviet military forces, transport abroad of eco- nomic and military assistance cargoes, and occa- sional airlift assistance for Soviet civilian indus- tries. IL-76s have participated in all major Soviet airlift exercises and operations since 1979. Of par- ticular importance was the December 1979 airlift of Soviet airborne and ground forces into Afghani- stan. About 70 IL-76s participated in this three- day operation. Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90T01298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Iq Next 1 Page(s) In Document Denied Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Export Aircraft Since 1978 the Soviets have exported 56 IL-76s. Exports include both the military and civil ver- sions. As of late 1985, five countries had received IL-76s: Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90T01298R000300250001-4 Top Secret aOne aircraft is registered for Iraqi government use. IL-76 sales to all of these countries are continu- inu Civil (Aeroflot) Aircraft About 52 IL-76s have been delivered to Soviet civ- il aviation (Aeroflot) since 1976. Aeroflot's share of IL-76 production has averaged about five air- craft per year. Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90T01298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Top Secret 25X1 hose.' transfer 40 metric tons of fuel and then return to base. We estimate the fuel transfer rate for this sys- tem to be at least 1,500 kilograms per minute per IL-76 tankers may be produced each year. IL-76 tankers will not be as difficult or time con- suming to produce as the AWACS. Some extra steps will be required to install the pods and inter- nal plumbing. These operations, however, should not be too difficult to implement on the existing assembly line; by 1987 we believe that six to eight 25X1 25X1 By adding a fleet of IL-76 tankers, the Soviets will greatly enhance their ability to conduct missions of long distance or long duration. Two fighter-size aircraft can refuel simultaneously from the under- wing pods. Larger aircraft will likely be refueled singly from the aft fuselage station. The IL-76 tanker appears to use the basic military version and, because of the advantages of higher gross weight and fuel load, will probably be produced with an IL-76MD airframe. Based upon this as- sumption, we believe the IL-76 tanker will proba- bly have over 100 metric tons of fuel at takeoff. After flying a distance of 2,800 kilometers, it could Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Ton Secret The Soviet civil version of the IL-76 undergoes de- pot-level repair at the Moscow-Bykovo Repair Base, a major Aeroflot repair facility. With their growing fleet of IL-76s, the Soviets re- quire dedicated repair facilities to keep these air- craft in service. Inspections, maintenance, repairs, and replacement of parts and systems are handled through regimented and predetermined schedules. A part is inspected and serviced at regular inter- vals, but once it has reached its safety service life- time, it is replaced automatically (usually at a time far before it would be replaced in the US system). Aging aircraft also will require structural repairs or major maintenance that cannot be performed at the deployment bases. Thus, depot-level repair and overhaul facilities are needed for the IL-76.F- Most work at Moscow-Bykovo is done on intact airframes, and much of it is done in the open. This, we believe, is typical of depot-level repair functionsF _J 25X1 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Top Secret L)A I In order to fulfill estimated user requirements, the Soviets will have to keep the IL-76 in production until the early 1990s. By late 1985 some 470 IL-76 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90T01298R000300250001-4 Top Secret '25X1 aircraft had been produced. We project that at least another 300 will need to be produced to meet Soviet requirements (table 4). The VTA will con- tinue to receive the largest share of production. percent of IL-76 production allotted to Aeroflot and for export will probably continue at about the same rate as in recent years, or slightly lower. The requirements for these customers, however, are less defined. Once the military requirements for IL-76s are more nearly satisfied, the Soviets may try to expand their export market and perhaps add more aircraft to their civil fleet. If so, the produc- tion run could extend beyond our projections. Based upon our perception of Soviet requirements and their ability to series-produce special-purpose aircraft, we believe that the Soviets may field at least 30 AWACS and 75 to 85 tankers. We also be- lieve the Soviets will continue to modify some newly produced IL-76s for special roles. In the late 1980s IL-76 output will probably begin to decline as VTA requirements are fulfilled and as produc- tion of the more complex IL-76s-AWACS, tank- 25X1 ers, and electronic support aircraft-increases.F- Throughout the first dozen years, increases in IL- 76 production could reliably be correlated to nor- mal progression along a 76-percent production learning curve aircraft per year. Dwindling Soviet requirements for the standard IL-76 and production of the more complex variants will probably cause the learning curve projection to correspondingly level off. Peak production, there- fore, for the IL-76 is probably occurring now, with the rate unlikely to be much greater than about 60 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90T01298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Iq Next 9 Page(s) In Document Denied Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4 Top Secret Top Secret Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/09: CIA-RDP90TO1298R000300250001-4

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