Russian FSB Aviation Receives Newly Built Il-76MD-90A

The aviation arm of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has received a newly built Il-76MD-90A military transport aircraft.

User vvrahjdgi posted a photo of the aircraft on the Airliners spotting website.

The aircraft, with registration number RF-76323, was photographed while landing at Sheremetyevo Airport. The image was uploaded on March 7.

Production of the Il-76MD-90A remains relatively slow, although management at IL PAO — Aviastar — has announced plans to ramp up output by 2030.

Production targets call for further growth: nine aircraft in 2026, 12 in 2027, and 18 aircraft annually in 2028-2029.

In total, the company delivered seven Il-76MD-90A aircraft to the Russian Aerospace Forces in 2025. The seventh aircraft, with serial number 0501 and registration RF-78686, was completed in December 2025 and made its first flight on December 7.

Deliveries were made roughly on a monthly basis. The first delivery in 2025 took place in June, when the aircraft with serial number 0405 (RF-78681) made its first flight on May 13, 2025.

Subsequent deliveries were as follows:

• 0406 (RF-78680) – first flight on June 27;
• 0407 (RF-78682) – first flight on August 8, transferred to the Aerospace Forces on September 1;
• 0408 (RF-78683) – first flight on October 18;
• 0409 (RF-78684) – first flight on November 15;
• 0410 (RF-78685) – first flight on November 27.

IL-76MD-90A

The Il-76MD-90A is a deep modernization of the Soviet-era Il-76MD, effectively resulting in a new aircraft. The upgrade focused primarily on new engines and a redesigned wing. The aircraft is equipped with PS-90A-76 engines, replacing the older D-30KP-2.

The new engines increase maximum payload to 60 tonnes, while range with a 52-tonne load reaches about 5,000 km.

The aircraft also features a reinforced landing gear, allowing a maximum takeoff weight of 210 tonnes and operation from unpaved runways.

The total number of Il-76MD-90A aircraft built, including prototypes, has approached 40 units.

However, fleet operations have been affected by component quality issues. In 2024, the use of substandard bearings led to failures in five Il-76 transport aircraft.

According to the investigation, company representatives procured bearings of unknown origin between 2017 and 2022 to meet defense contract deadlines, later supplying them as part of aircraft wheel assemblies to the Il-Aviastar facility.