Russia's Aviastar-SP Ulyanovsk plant has completed leak test of Il-76MD-90A military transport aircraft.
"The company's specialists performed a test of a new transporter with air under a certain pressure according to the sequence and set time,” production manager Vyacheslav Loginov said.
The aircraft will now undergo another test to check if it can resist water penetration, after which it will be transferred for final assembly. More tests will be performed then.
In late 2012, Russia signed a contract worth 140 billion rubles ($2.1 billion) with the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) for 39 Il-76MD-90A military transport planes to the Russian Armed Forces. The Defense Ministry announced its plan to place an order for 100 additional Ilyushin planes in March 2019.
The Il-76MD-90A is an upgraded version of the IL-76MD, which is based on the IL-76 cargo aircraft platform.
According to the company, the IL-76MD-90A can carry 60 tons of cargo to a distance of 4,000 kilometers. The width and height of the cab are 3.45 and 3.4 meters, respectively.
The latest modification is distinguished by new equipment, including a glass cockpit, modern PS-90A-76 engines, a modified wing and reinforced chassis. Il-76MD-90A is used to develop Il-78M-90A air tanker.
Landing gear specially designed for the IL-76 allows the aircraft to land and take off from unpaved strips. It can carry up to 126 paratroopers.
First flight took place in 2012. On the basis of this aircraft, it is planned to create an IL-78MD-90A refueling tank and an A-100 AWACS aircraft.