Russia's first Il-78M-90A prototype successfully performed its maiden flight today, the Russian aicraft maker Ilyushin announced today. The first tanker aircraft produced in Russia in the post-Soviet period perfectly took off and landed at the Aviastar SP plant today, January 25.

Russia's Il-78M-90A tanker aircraft first prototype taking to the skies on January 25

(Credit: Ilyushin)

Aviastar-SP, which is in charge of the program with Ilyushin, rolled out the Il-78M-90A aerial refuelling aircraft first prototype in late November, 2017.

The upgraded refuelling aircraft can additionally carry up to 110 tons of fuel thanks to two extra tanks, Sergei Dementyev, Aviastar-SP Company’s Director-General, reported on Oct. 2015. "The next year’s job is to send the Il-78M-90A into the air. This is the first flying prototype to undergo acceptance trials. We look forward to signing a contract based on results obtained," he noted.

The new Il-78M-90A aircraft is powered by four PS-90A-76 engines with increased takeoff power. Two operating modes can be used in takeoff, i.e. maximum increased takeoff power mode of 16,000 kgf and maximum takeoff power mode of 14,500 kgf.

Il-78M-90A is being created based on an in-depth modernization of the Il-76, i.e. Il-76MD-90A. A new attitude and heading reference system and automatic control and communication complexes enhance flight safety and aerial navigation accuracy. Also, they make paradropping more precise. The latest model of the widely known military transport aircraft differs in that it has new equipment, including an all-glass cockpit, modern PS-90A-76 engines, modified wings and reinforced undercarriage. In the future, the Il-76MD-90A can be used for creating an electronic warfare aircraft.

The Il-78M-90A features advanced UPAZ-1M commonised refueling pod, an upgraded variant of the Il-78 UPAZ-1 pod. The UPAZ-1M features enhanced performance that is especially relevant for refueling large planes, e.g. strategic bombers and special aircraft that had to receive tens of thousands of liters of avgas in a limited time (about 20 min). A special air duct and a sophisticated turbine of the turbopump of the advanced refueling pod are designed to increase the fuel transfer rate.