The first Ilyushin IL-38 maritime reconnaissance aircraft modified to Standard Series Il-38N (Novella) has been transferred to the Russian Navy on 15th July in Zhukovsky near Moscow,Ilyushin stated in a press statement.
“Ilyushin” completed repair and modernization under a contract that includes modernization of five serial combat aircraft.
First serial upgraded aircraft was named after, Radia Papkovsky Petrovich, a designer of OKB Ilyushin who contributed in development of IL-38.
As per the contract, the modernization includes installation of search and target system, “Novella-P-38” on new aircrafts to improve scope of tasks performed by plane and combat capabilities.