Candid back in RJAF service
Since 17 August 2023, reports of an Ilyushin Il-76 with RJAF markings started appearing on Twitter and in the last couple of days it was confirmed that the al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Malakiya al-Urduniya (RJAF, Royal Jordanian Air Force) indeed operates an Il-76TD again.
Registered RJAF-360, the Candid flew Marka - Rijeka – Prestwick – Rzeszów on 6 September, probably in support of the war in Ukraine. The identity of the transporter is now known, it is former Silk Way Airline 4K-AZ31 with c/n 1013405184 which is wet leased by the RJAF so it is probably still owned by Silk Way Airlines, an Azerbaijani private cargo airline.
It is unknown if the aircraft is flying under the Jordan International Air Cargo (JIAC) operator name, as was the case with the previously operated RJAF Il-76s. The serial “RJAF-360” suggests that 3rd Squadron at Amman Marka is the unit operating the contract.
Jordan operated Il-76s before. The two Il-76MFs were operated by Amman-Marka based Jordan International Air Cargo (JIAC) and were sold to the Egyptian Air Force in 2019. Before that, the RJAF operated two Il-76TDs that were briefly operated and returned to the civilian market; JY-JIA in February 2014 and JY-JIB in February 2007.
The former RJAF Il-76 fleet consists of:
Thanks to Twitter accounts @ace_pio (Jordan) and @Gerjon_ (Gerjon) for posting their sightings!