Aircraft
China Orders Il-76s as It Awaits Il-476s
China is boosting its fleet of Il-76 airlifters with 10 used examples to be supplied by Rosoboronexport. (Photo: Vladimir Karnozov)
China is boosting its fleet of Il-76 airlifters with 10 used examples to be supplied by Rosoboronexport. (Photo: Vladimir Karnozov)

China has ordered 10 used Il-76s from Russia’s arms vendor Rosoboronexport as an interim measure to enlarge its fleet of the heavy airlifters, before the redeveloped Il-476 version becomes available. Sergei Kornev, head of Rosoboronexport’s aviation equipment department, told AIN that his company has already found seven suitable airframes on the secondary market. They are being overhauled before delivery to the PLA Air Force. Rosoboronexport is still sourcing the other three aircraft, which could come from non-Russian fleets.

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