Russian Il-76MD-90A Transport Aircraft Production Faces Challenges Despite Deliveries

Deliveries of the modernized Il-76MD-90A military transport aircraft to the Russian Aerospace Forces are continuing, but production rates remain below targets and quality control issues have emerged, raising questions about the sustainability of the program.

Recent Deliveries and Production Status

The Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) received a fresh Il-76MD-90A transport aircraft in September 2025, marking the first publicly reported delivery of the year according to Defence Express. Prior to this, the last announced batch was delivered in December 2024. Seven Il-76MD-90A aircraft were delivered to the VKS throughout 2025, with deliveries occurring roughly monthly starting in the summer as reported by VPKNews. As of January 12, 2026, a total of 37 Il-76MD-90A aircraft have been built, including prototypes .

Modernization and Capabilities

The Il-76MD-90A represents a significant modernization of the Soviet-era Il-76. Key improvements include the installation of new PS-90A-76 engines, replacing the older D-30KP-2 engines as detailed by Wikipedia. These new engines increase the aircraft’s payload capacity to 60 tons and extend its flight range to 5,000 km with a full cargo load . The Il-76 is a multi-purpose, four-engine turbofan strategic airlifter originally designed as a commercial freighter in 1967.

Production Challenges and Quality Control

Despite the upgrades, production of the Il-76MD-90A remains slow. PJSC “Il” – “Aviastar” aims to increase production to nine aircraft in 2026, twelve in 2027 and up to eighteen annually by 2028-2029. However, issues with component quality have hampered progress. In 2024, five Il-76 aircraft experienced failures due to substandard bearings as reported by Defence Express. An investigation revealed that components of unknown origin were used between 2017 and 2022 to meet defense order deadlines.

Future Outlook

Russia claims to be expanding its manufacturing capacity and suggests potential interest from foreign customers in the Middle East and East Asia, but no firm export contracts currently exist . The pace of Il-76MD-90A production remains a key indicator of Russia’s ability to modernize its military transport fleet and address logistical challenges.