Ilyushin Il-112V design issues

The problems with the future Russian light military transport aircraft Ilyushin Il-112V airlifter are gradually being resolved, Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said: "We are dealing with Il-112 problems for the past three years. The situation is improving and the aircraft is a good one," during a recent visit to the Voronezh Aircraft Plant (VASO) that produces the airlifter.

The plant has to ensure the assigned characteristics during the production of the third aircraft. So far the commitments to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) have not been fulfilled. "It is useless to speak about serial contracts until you confirm the flight and technical characteristics of Il-112," Borisov said. When the plant copes with the task, it will get orders for Il-112V for a long time, he added. It was reported that the new airlifter was too heavy which results in shorter than anticipated flight range.

The Il-112V is the first military transporter developed by Russia from scratch in the post-Soviet period to transport and airdrop up to five tons of light arms, hardware and troops and carry a broad range of commercial cargoes. The transporter can automatically land at airfields equipped to ICAO category II. Manual approach is possible to unequipped and unprepared dirt airfields. The Il-112 is supposed to replace the Antonov An-26 and An-24.

According to Yuri Borosov, the MoD and other organisations will order up to 200 Il-112V airlifters. Batch production has to begin in 2023. The airlifter may also be procured by the Russian Guard, the Federal Security Service (FSB), and the Emergency Ministry.

Photo by FoxbatRu via Airliners.net