In 2025, Russia will limit the serial production of military transport aircraft to a single model. The heavy Il-76MD-90A (Il-476) is a thorough modernization of the Il-76. There is presently no production of smaller aircraft, and there is a growing demand to replace the aging fleet of aircraft of various types, which were primarily assembled during the late USSR era. The Russian Air Force’s largest segment of this mix is approximately 140 light transport An-26 aircraft, each with a payload capacity of up to 5.5 tons. Initially, the plan was to replace these with the new Il-112V, but the situation has proven to be more complex.
The Il-112V light military transport aircraft was first designed in the 2000s because developers and military officials were still unsure of how to pay for and prioritize long-term projects. This was on top of the chaos in the aviation industry that followed the destructive 1990s. In approximately 2010, the Voronezh Aircraft Factory (VASO) initiated the assembly of the first prototype. However, the Russian Ministry of Defense reduced funding at that time and opted to acquire the Ukrainian An-140 in the cargo version. Ukraine and Russia planned to jointly produce this aircraft at the “Aviakor” plant in Samara.
The An-140T, the military transport version of the two-engine An-140, was designed to transport a maximum load of 6 tons and a cargo capacity of 5 tons for a distance of 1860 km. The Il-112V was intended to transport a maximum of 5 tons of cargo for a distance of 1200 km, and it could fly a maximum of 2400 km with 3.5 tons. The An-140 benefited from small-scale production in Kharkiv from 1997 to 2005. The passenger version of the An-140 produced 11 aircraft. Additionally, the documentation and developments for the An-140T were fully transferred to the Russian side for independent use and production as part of the 2013 agreement between Russia and the former Ukraine. Additionally, Ukraine successfully transferred the An-140 to Iran, renaming it the IrAn-140. Iran assembled a total of 14 aircraft, out of a planned 80, between 2000 and 2015. Five or six of these aircraft are still operational.
In the end, the Russian military anticipated receiving the An-140T from Samara, where the An-140-100 version was being assembled, and the production of the An-140T was scheduled. The Ukrainian manufacturers were expected to finalize the An-140T work and transfer the project to the “Aviakor” facility. The situation appeared to be feasible; however, the Ukrainian political change happened at the start of 2014, resulting in a breakdown of economic relations between the two nations. At that time, despite intentions to produce the An-140 entirely in Russia, many components continued to come from Ukraine. The Russian airline Yakutia utilized individual aircraft built in Samara for the An-140-100 version. Ultimately, the Russian military was unable to acquire the An-140T and ended up being left with a limited number of An-140-100 aircraft, which are still in operation today. In 2016, the Russian military entirely discontinued the production of these aircraft.
The Russian military revisited the Il-112V project and its technological independence at the end of 2013–14. The fuselage of the first prototype, which had been abandoned at the Voronezh Aircraft Factory, was revived during this period. In 2016, Klimov initiated the TV7-117ST turboprop engine development program and delivered the first engines. The Il-112V carried out its inaugural flight successfully at the Voronezh factory airfield on March 30, 2019. But then, more problems followed in the history of this new military transport aircraft.
It emerged that substantial design enhancements were required, as the aircraft’s weight exceeded the specified level, thereby reducing its flight range and payload. The aircraft developers expected to resolve all issues within a two- to three-year timeframe. The Il-112V resumed test flights in 2021.
In the Moscow region, the experimental flight version crashed during a landing approach in August 2021 due to technical issues, involving a crew of three test pilots. Routine investigations into the circumstances led to the temporary suspension of the project in February 2022. The project left two aircraft unfinished and assembled one entirely for ground strength tests.
A new aircraft, the Il-212, was announced in autumn 2023 after the Il-112V was discontinued. However, the subject was not a modified version of the “112,” but rather a nearly entirely new aircraft.
The main difference between the Il-212 project and the Il-112V is the use of new Russian turbofan engines, PD-8, which are currently in the flight testing phase as of early 2025. These engines were originally designed for the regional passenger aircraft “Sukhoi Superjet” in its new “import-substituted” modification. Serial production of the engine is anticipated to commence in 2027. By this date, it is anticipated that the prototype military transport Il-212 will commence assembly. The transport aircraft will employ two PD-8 engines, as is the case with the new Superjet.
The Il-212’s 2024 configuration, which involves placing the engines above the wings (similar to the Soviet An-72/An-74), will enable it to operate from unprepared airstrips, increase the maximum payload from 5 to 12 tons, and enhance the aircraft’s speed. This aircraft is essentially a new design, although certain decisions from the Il-112V project may prove advantageous.
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| IL-214 |
We should reexamine the Il-214 project, also known as the MTA (Medium Transport Aircraft). This project was the victim of another intergovernmental collaboration, this time between Russia and India. The twin-engine aircraft was intended to transport 12 tons for a minimum of 2000 km (or, in one version of the project, up to 3700 km) at a maximum speed of 870 km/h. The aircraft was intended to be equipped with engines that were comparable to those found on the Il-76MD-90A (PS-90 modification) or the future PD-14. A variety of ambiguous circumstances continually influenced the development, which spanned approximately 15 years. The Il-214 was intended to serve as a transitional product between the Il-112V and the Il-76MD-90A (Il-476). The project was renamed Il-276 in 2017, and it was intended to replace the four-engine An-12. However, financial difficulties forced its suspension in 2020. The Il-214/Il-276’s breakthroughs are likely to be implemented in the new Il-212. Russia recently again offered to develop this plane with India. Probably the offer terms have changed in India’s favor.
The 12-ton payload of the Il-212 no longer qualifies it as a “light” transport aircraft. However, it is anticipated to achieve a dual purpose and bridge the gap created by a larger aircraft set to replace the An-12.
Sergey Chemezov, General Director of the Rostec State Corporation, confirmed the Il-212 development during a plenary session of the Federation Council on October 23, 2024. In December 2024, the latest round of Western sanctions included the Russian enterprise “ODK-Star,” which develops and manufactures engine control systems, including the new Russian PD-8 for the import-substituted Superjet. This was another confirmation of the ongoing work on the new military transport aircraft project. According to Western sources, the new Russian military transport aircraft Il-212 will also use this engine.
It’s crucial to recognize that no official release of conceptual images of the new aircraft has taken place. Despite the fact that it would be irrational to conceal a standard transport aircraft (all comparable foreign projects are consistently disclosed during the conceptual phase through computer renderings).
Now Russia will have to wait until 2028, when it might see something like the first prototype. Or it might happen even later, as the development of any serious new aircraft, as we mentioned earlier, takes more than five years: from concept to a flying model at best takes 5 years, and the serial production timeline usually requires just as much time.
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