Russia Lays Out New Transport Aircraft, Large Passenger Jet Plans

Russia has announced plans to build two new military transport aircraft and develop a larger passenger jet as it expands domestic aircraft production under sanctions pressure.

Ulyanovsk Region Governor Alexey Russkikh was quoted as saying by Russian media recently that production of two wide-body transport aircraft will begin at the Aviastar plant, a subsidiary of Ilyushin PJSC, after talks with President Vladimir Putin on retooling the facility and expanding its workforce from 12,000 to 20,000.

Aviastar currently supports An-124 heavy transports and produces Il-76MD-90A military aircraft. The first new model slated for production is the Il-276 medium military transport, positioned between the light Il-112V and heavy Il-76. It is intended to replace the aging An-12, An-26, and An-72 fleets. The project was initially developed with India, which later withdrew.

The Il-276 is designed to carry 12 tons over 3,700 kilometers, 20 tons over 2,000 kilometers, or up to 90 paratroopers. It shares the Il-76 fuselage cross-section and is expected to be powered by either PS-90A-76 or PD-14M engines. The estimated cost is $35–40 million per aircraft.

The second aircraft is the Il-100 heavy transport, known as the “Elephant,” being developed as a successor to the An-124. After Ukraine ties were severed and supplies of the D-18T engine were cut off, efforts to restart An-124 production stalled. In 2016, TsAGI began work on a fully Russian-built heavy transport.

The Il-100 is designed to carry 150–180 tons over 7,000 kilometers at a cruising speed of 850 kilometers per hour. Engine selection remains unresolved. The original plan centered on the PD-35 engine, but officials now point to the PD-26.

Russian Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov said, “For the Ministry of Defense's mission to power a prospective 100-ton transport aircraft, the PD-26 engine with a thrust of 26 tons is most suitable. It could also be used for a prospective wide-body passenger aircraft.”