First pictures of PAF IL-78 aerial refuller!

[FlyingEagle]

Its a Big Bird................I wish I can..............

 

[jawadqamar]

It Is impossible .

Pakistan Eyes Boost in Transport, Lift
By USMAN ANSARI

The most high-profile aspect of Pakistan's air mobility modernization is the Pakistan Air Force Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) program. Four Il-78 Midas aircraft from the Ukraine, equipped with a three-point drogue refueling system, will introduce this capability.

Though an Air Force spokesman could not verify the exact variant on order, he did confirm it was the tanker/transport and not the pure tanker version of the Midas.

Il-78 has a transferable load of 85,720 kg (188,584 lb) with hold tanks and Il-78M is a dedicated tanker which cannot be converted back to the transport role easily. It has transferrable fuel load of 105,720 kg (233,070 lb).

Pakistan probes airborne refuelling system in ground test

Farhan Bokhari JDW Correspondent
Islamabad


"We are hoping that by the middle of 2009, our first airplane, modified, tested, will be available in the country. The other three will follow within the next six to nine months," Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed told Jane's on 17 November. ACM Ahmed said the platform will be based on the Il-78 transport aircraft and "are being modified from cargo planes to air tankers" under the supervision of PAF officials in Ukraine.

ACM Ahmed said the four Il-78 air tankers represent a pilot project that is intended to bring the capability to Pakistan for the first time. "We will need to expand in due course when we have greater fiscal availability," he said, referring to constraints imposed by the global financial crisis.

 

[jawadqamar]

Prasun K Sengupta claimed last year at his blog and ForceIndia that PAF's IL-78 AAR will be new-build IL-78MKP-90s but how reliable is his statement we simply don’t know yet

Prasun K Sengupta said...

To Anon@1:16AM: Regarding the news item you've posted, it does not state anywhere if the aircraft is a new-build one or an existing one that is being modified and converted into an aerial refueling tanker. But what is significant is the use of the term IL-78, because what is now available from Ukraine are only IL-76MD cargo transport aircraft. Furthermore, Ukraine only has MRO facilities for the IL-76, not modification or manufacturing facilities.

Therefore, what Pakistan has done is order the IL-78 airframes and PS-90A engines from Uzbekistan's TAPO and these aircraft will then be flown to Ukraine, where they will be fitted with aerial refueling pods and the internal fuel tanks that are now stocked up in Ukraine since the days of the USSR.

The PAF is perfectly aware of the fact that in another two years Ukrainian companies and TAPO will not be able to supply or service new-build IL-76s and IL-78s and A-50Es as Russia is going to commission a new assembly line for these aircraft types at Voronez, and claim all IPRs for the IL-76 family of aircraft. Presently, TAPO only builds the airframe and undertakes final assembly, with the engines and avionics and accessories all being sourced from Russia. Therefore, the PAF will have to depend on the Russians for through-life product support for its IL-78MKPs. And this is exactly what the present Russian Ambassador to India confirmed last August in an interveiw to FORCE magazine when he said that eventually India will have to learn to live with the prospect of a Pakistan being armed with some weapons of Russian origin. I guess he was also referring to the RD-93 turbofans for the JF-17s and AL-31FN turbofans for the FC-20 M-MRCAs that will be inducted by the PAF in future.

Saturday, November 22, 2008 9:19:00 AM

 

[owais.usmani]

It Is impossible .

I am afraid I would have to disagree with you there Mr. wangrong.


Here you can see the fuel tank being removed from a Ukrainian Air Force IL-78 aircraft:

 

[owais.usmani]

Three months later, tanker jet finally cleared for take-off​

A Russian I lL-78 tanker stranded at Marquette’s Sawyer International Airport since early summer has finally been allowed to leave.

A tangled situation began to develop when the aircraft (similar to the one shown) landed for refueling on July 17.

Subsequently, news reports indicated that five Ukrainian nationals were being held, pending immigration hearings, by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the Michigan Soo.

It was also indicated that the jet and its crew had been named in Texas civil proceedings.

According to TV6 in Negaunee, a judge yesterday lifted the court order holding the plane.

A Texas court had earlier awarded it to AirOne Flight Support because of unpaid maintenance bills of more than $62,000.

The owners intend to sell the tanker to recover $8,600 in fees paid for the unplanned stay in Marquette.


Three months later, tanker jet finally cleared for take-off



I think it is one of the aircrafts destined for PAF. Some knowledgeable member here can correct me if I am wrong.

 

[owais.usmani]

IL-78 cockpit:

The UPAZ-1 IFR Pod:

 

[naseebkhanniazi]

 

[Super Falcon]

i dont think so we r leasing them these are not that much expansive

 

[owais.usmani]

 

[enlightened1]

I am afraid I would have to disagree with you there Mr. wangrong.


Here you can see the fuel tank being removed from a Ukrainian Air Force IL-78 aircraft:

You sure that's a tanker? Where are the refueling pods?

 

[owais.usmani]

You sure that's a tanker? Where are the refueling pods?

If they are removing the tank then isn't it logical to think that they would also have removed the pods which also happen to be removable? (check the picture of UPAZ pod above)

 

[enlightened1]

If they are removing the tank then isn't it logical to think that they would also have removed the pods which also happen to be removable? (check the picture of UPAZ pod above)

I don't think they have to remove them, doesn't make sense...removing the tanking pallets is likely but the refueling pods won't really disturb the cargo operations isn't it? I found it rather strange because I've seen similar yellow & white tanks being unloaded from An-124s at the SSR airport in M'tius. I'll try & get a pic next time I go there.

Do you know the weight of the UPAZ pods?
Thanks.

 

[owais.usmani]

very ver nice photos but they are quite old ones...
i simply didnt wanted to say that friends but i myself have posted them a week or so ago on the following thread....

http://www.defence.pk/forums/milita...get-il-78-mid-air-re-fuellers.html#post584992

do visite this old thread and see post number 9 and 10 for more pics.... originally posted on 16 december 2009!

regards!

Arsalan bhai, the pictures you posted on that thread on 16 december 2009, I posted them on this thread on 15 November 2009!!. In fact, I was the first one to post these pictures on this forum, keeping in mind that these pictures were taken on 14 November 2009 as mentioned by the photographer on spotters.net.ua website.

 

[Arsalan]

ok we never doubt you links within the forces,, you have proved to be a credible source time and time again...
it was perhaps because i just missed the date,,

anyways i have corrected it now. do you have you some other updated pics cause i have posted all what i got!!

regards!

 

[owais.usmani]

ok we never doubt you links within the forces,, you have proved to be a credible source time and time again...
it was perhaps because i just missed the date,,

anyways i have corrected it now. do you have you some other updated pics cause i have posted all what i got!!

regards!

First, I have got no links within the forces, I am just a normal citizen like you.

Secondly, I have posted all pictures of PAF il-78 which I got in this thread, so you can browse through it and see which ones you don't have.