Ilyushin PAK VTA
| Industry | Aerospace, Defense |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1933 |
| Headquarters | Moscow , Russia |
Key people | Nikolai Talikov (Chief Designer), Sergei Velmozhkin (General Director) |
| Products | Military transport aircraft, including PAK VTA |
| Website | www |
Overview
The PAK VTA (Russian: ПАК ВТА, an abbreviation for Russian: Перспективный авиационный комплекс Военно-транспортной авиации, romanized: Perspektivnyy aviatsionnyy kompleks Voyenno-transportnoy aviatsii, meaning Prospective Aviation Complex of Military Transport Aviation) represents a forthcoming heavy military transport aircraft currently being developed in Russia by the Ilyushin design bureau.[1][2][3]
This aircraft is planned as a successor to the Antonov An-22 and Antonov An-124 heavy transport planes currently operated by the Russian Aerospace Forces. Its design will draw on the previously cancelled Ilyushin Il-106 (Russian: Илью́шин Ил-106) project from the 1990s, featuring modernized powerplants and avionics systems.[4][5]
Development
Originally, the project was introduced under the name PAK TA, aiming to create a blended wing body super-heavy transport aircraft capable of carrying up to 90 tons of cargo and incorporating partial electric propulsion. The plan envisioned constructing 80 units by the year 2024.
In 2016, Sergei Velmozhkin, General Director of Ilyushin Company, revealed that the initiative was derived from the Ilyushin Il-106, a transport aircraft design from the 1990s that was ultimately cancelled. By December 2018, the Russian Defence Ministry declared that the new aircraft would be a significantly modernized version of the Il-106. Nikolai Talikov, Ilyushin’s Chief Designer, confirmed that the updated model would feature advanced avionics, new engines, and other essential system upgrades. The maiden flight is anticipated between 2024 and 2026.
By May 2019, Ilyushin had completed preliminary research and development efforts for the aircraft and formalized a contract for continued development. Should Russian authorities approve the PAK VTA design, Ilyushin intends to commence prototype construction in 2020, aiming for serial production commencement before 2027. The projected timeline for the first flight remains set for 2024 to 2026.
On August 4, 2020, Izvestia reported that the tactical and technical specifications for the PAK VTA had received approval from the Russian Ministry of Defence. The research phase was scheduled to conclude by December 2020, with experimental development activities slated to start in 2021.
Characteristics
The specified criteria for the new military transport plane include the capability for aerial refueling and the capacity to transport a minimum of 80 tons of cargo over a distance of 5,000 kilometers. The cargo bay dimensions are required to measure at least 27.5 meters in length, 5.8 meters in width, and 4.4 meters in height.
The PAK VTA is expected to be equipped with four Aviadvigatel PD-35 turbofan engines—an advanced version derived from the still-under-development PD-14 model—delivering thrust between 20,000 and 25,000 kgf. This aircraft should operate at altitudes up to 12,000 meters and maintain a cruising velocity of approximately 850 km/h.
See also
References
- ↑ "PAK VTA". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
- ↑ Trimble, Stephen (8 September 2016). "Russia widens scope for future large military transport project". Flight Global. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
- ↑ Rogoway, Tyler (29 December 2018). "Russia Wants To Replace Its Giant An-124 Airlifters With Updated Decades-Old Design". The Drive. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
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