Overview
The Il-78, called "Midas" by NATO, is an aerial refuelling tanker developed from the Il-76 transport. It uses three hose-and-drogue pods, one under each wing and one on the rear fuselage, so it can refuel up to three aircraft, such as Su-30 fighters or Tu-95 bombers.
Besides Russia, it is flown by India (as the Il-78MKI), China and Pakistan. Some versions can have their extra fuel tanks removed so they can work as normal cargo planes.
Specifications
Dimensions
| Length | 46.59 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 50.50 m |
| Height | 14.76 m |
| Wing area | 300.0 m² |
Weights & fuel
| Max. take-off weight | 210,000 kg |
|---|
Performance
| Max. speed | 850 km/h |
|---|---|
| Range | 7,300 km |
| Service ceiling | 12,000 m |
Crew & capacity
| Crew | 6 |
|---|
Powerplant
| Engines | 4 |
|---|---|
| Engine model | Soloviev D-30KP-2 |
| Thrust (each) | 117.7 kN |
Figures are compiled from public sources and may be approximate; they can vary by variant and configuration.
Photos
Photo 1: Konstantin Tyurpeko / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Some text and images come from Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA licences.
