Russia Suspends Co-development Of Il-214 Medium Airlifter With India, Ilyushin To Resume On Its Own

Russian Ilyushin has suspended the co-development program with India to build Il-214 medium airlifter under the MTA program and has resumed the development at its own expense.

"The Ilyushin Aviation complex is developing the future medium airlifter for the Russian Aerospace Force at its own expense. A scaled model of the aircraft has been made, and the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI) are gearing up for its wind-tunnel tests, using mock-ups of both the PS-90A and PD-14 engines," the company’s press office was quoted as stating by Russian Aviation Monday.

The future aircraft will be powered either by two PS-90As or by a pair of PD-14s, with the latter’s flight tests having started last year.

"The Ilyushin Aviation Complex has designated its future medium military transport aircraft development program as Il-214," the press office concluded.

In January, Ilyushin Director General Sergei Velmozhkin told journalists about the program having been put on hold. According to him, the company expected "to clarify somehow" the future of the program by the middle of the year. There have been no official statements about the cause behind the suspending of the Russian-Indian program.

The Il-214 is designed to carry and air-land troops, their equipment, and cargo. It is to haul 20 tons of cargo at a distance of over 2,000 km. The aircraft is supposed to operate from unpaved and artificial airfields, including those high in the mountains.