Air Transportation: July 3, 2005

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The standard military transport in Russia is still the Cold War era Il-76. Based on the older American C-141, the Il-76 is actually manufactured in Uzbekistan. Thats because one of the Russian aircraft plants moved east during the German invasion of 1941, ended up in Central Asia, a part of the Soviet Union that became independent Uzbekistan in 1991. The Chkalov Tashkent Aircraft Production Company is the largest manufacturing firm in Uzbekistan, employing some 30,000 people. The Chkalov Tashkent plant is the only one still manufacturing the Il-76. Over 900 Il-76s were manufactured over the last thirty years, with nearly a hundred exported, mainly to Cuba, Iraq, China, India, Libya and Syria. After ten years of development, and selling, the latest version, the Il-76MF is in production. This model has a payload of 60 tons, and a cargo compartment that is 50 percent larger than earlier models. With a full load, the aircraft can fly 4,200 kilometers. Carrying 20 tons, it can go 8,500 kilometers. Four of the new model are under construction, for Russian buyers. China is interested as well buying more as well. Although the aircraft is built in Uzbekistan, some 90 percent of the components come from Russia. 

 

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