The russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) have received a new Il-76MD-90A transport. It is the first publicly reported delivery this year and, in fact, the first since December 2024, when the previous batch was announced.
One might assume that other deliveries simply went unreported — which is entirely possible. However, on 1 June 2025, representatives of the defense industry stated that the VKS would receive a batch of these aircraft later this year, suggesting that no earlier deliveries had actually taken place.
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This contradicts russia's declared production rates: five aircraft delivered in 2023 and six in 2024 — still short of the eight planned. The numbers remain modest but not insignificant, being only slightly behind those of the Airbus A400M, with eight delivered in 2023 and seven in 2024.
As for 2025, it seems likely that this really is the first Il-76MD-90A handed over. Additional aircraft are expected in the next three to four months, depending on production schedules.
Still, this pace appears unsatisfactory for russia, which now claims to be expanding its manufacturing capacity. Officially, this is justified not only by the needs of its armed forces but also by supposed interest from potential foreign customers in the Middle East and East Asia.
In reality, no firm export contracts exist. Given russia's limited budget and the ongoing costs of war, it is far more likely that no real expansion will occur. The Il-76MD-90A is simply not among russia's top defense priorities.
Overall, russia's aviation industry beyond fighter aircraft is in a highly questionable state, plagued by chronic order shortfalls, corruption scandals, and endless "long-build" projects. Plans to replace older airframes with new ones have largely been reduced to modernization instead.
Compared with the legacy Il-76MD, the Il-76MD-90A features new engines, upgraded equipment, and supposedly russian-made avionics. In reality, much of this likely includes Western-produced components that continue reaching russia despite sanctions.
At first glance, the program seemed promising: the prototype flew in 2012, and the first serial aircraft followed in 2015. Yet subsequent deliveries were delayed until 2019 — setting the tone for the program ever since.
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