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BG Archive
— Canadian Forces Airlifter Contest — Russian Offer |
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Note: Airlift decisions were announced at the end of June 2006. This is a CASR Background Archive page,
this page will not be updated.
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Airlift: “... The Russians are Coming ...” ?
At the end of May 2006, a trade delegation from Russia appeared in Ottawa. On the list of offerings
were IL-76 airlifters and Mil 17 medium-lift helicopters. According to press reports, a
“direct pitch” was made to Prime Minister Harper earlier this year. [1] When Peter MacKay
goes to Russia later in June, the pitch is expected to continue. What are the aircraft and conditions on
offer from Russia?
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The Big End – the Stretched Ilyushin IL-76 Airlifter
The IL-76 will be familiar to most as the Russian airlifter transporting CF equipment to Kandahar – in short
hops from Turkey or the long-haul from Edmonton. These are Soviet-era freighters used now for charter work (like
the larger An-124). The current Russian offer is the modern-
ized IL-76 MD-90 – a longer, re-engined variant. [2] Like
the US C-17, the IL-76 is dual- use – capable of both
tactical and strategic airlift. [3] Where the IL-76 truly differs is prices and promised delivery
times.
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Production of stretched IL-76s is underway at Tashkent in Uzbekistan.[4] Published prices for these aircraft (for
Russia’s Air Force is said to be $US35M (a westernized version was $US50M each) but the
Ottawa delegation released no current prices. However, they did say that delivery (direct to
Afghanistan) would be completed by late 2007. [5] As a further incentive, a lease option was offered for
both the IL-76 and Mi-17.
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The Mil medium-lift helicopter on offer is a Mi-17(V-5), a modernized variant of a troop carrier born created as
a response to Russian experiences in Afghanistan. [6] DND is aware of the Mil 17 ( they transported CF gear in
the Balkans and are widely used in Afghanistan (as well as being commonly leased to transport aid). What
distinguishes the Mi-17(V-5) is the rear ramp (left). [7] The Russians are not pretending that their Mi-17 is in
the same class as the CF’s preferred CH-47
Chinooks.
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What the Russians are really offering is a chance to purchase interim airlift and medium-lift capabilities at
much lower cost and with a quicker delivery time than their western rivals. Will DND nibble? Not
likely. No personnel from DND even showed up for the delegation’s presentation (certification hurdles for Russian aircraft are usually presented
as near insurmountable). In any case, the Air Force has already made clear that it wants brand-new
Chinooks or nothing. A purchase of Russian aircraft will only be made if it is forced upon DND by Stephen
Harper. This will be decried as ‘political interference’ (with the Griffon as an example). There is another example – the original Hercules
order was imposed upon the Air Force by a Conservative
government.
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[1] This pitch was made to Stephen Harper during a working visit to Ottawa by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
in March of 2006.
[2] This aircraft is best known as a civilian freighter conversion – Volga-Dnepr Leasing’s IL-76TD-90VD.
The aircraft is a new-built military IL-76MD-90. The ‘90’ refers to the Perm PS-90 turbofans (replacing
early model IL-76 D-30 engines). Four PS-90A-76 cost about US$10M.
[3] The C-17 has phenomenal take-off performance ( it was designed as a Cold War intra-theatre airlifter ).
Ilyushin designed their IL-76 to replace the An-12 tactical transport (in effect a Soviet ‘Hercules’)
while still being capable of carrying very heavy loads at strategic range.
[4] The separation of CIS/Russian aircraft companies into design and production facilities dates
back to the Soviet era. Ilyushin OKB (the design bureau based in Moscow) is part owners of factories in Voronezh (the
TASO plant in Siberia where the IL-96 jetliners are built and IL-76 conversion work is done), and in Tashkent,
Uzbekistan (the TAPOiCH or ‘Chkalov’ plant where IL-76MF production is undertaken).
[5] As mentioned above, the IL-76s are made just across the border in Tashkent, Mi-17s are built in Kazan Russia, 3000km
from Kandahar.
[6] In simplified terms, the Mi-17 is a modernized Mi-8 fitted with the engines and dynamics of a Mi-24
Hind armoured assault helicopter.
[7] The original Mi-8 Hip and early-model Mi-17s both featured an awkward clam-shell rear doors. The rear
ramp allows for quicker egress.
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