The Ilyushin Il-112 is a Russia's brand new high-wing light military transport aircraft being developed by Ilyushin Aviation Complex (JSC IL) for air landing and airdrop of military air cargoes, equipment and personnel. Derived from the IL-114, the aircraft is being manufactured by Voronezh Aircraft Production Association at an aircraft plant in Voronezh, located some 400 kilometers (250 miles) south of Moscow.
It is set to replace the An-26 and An-72/74 twin-engine transport aircraft.
The Il-112V aircraft can be used for the transportation and airdropping of military personnel, light weapons and equipment, vehicles, and a variety of cargo. Il-112T, the civilian transport version of Il-112V, is designed for commercial cargo transportation services.
The Il-112V can operate in various geographic and climate conditions, during the day and night, in visual and adverse weather. The aircraft is equipped with modern digital avionics equipment, “glass cockpit”. It enables this aircraft to perform automatic approach at categorized aerodromes under ICAO category II standard and manual approach at ill radio- and technically equipped aerodromes.
Russia's Ministry of Defense plans to purchase at least 35 Ilyushin Il-112 planes. Earlier, JSC IL said the company was ready to deliver more than 60 Il-112 aircraft to the military.
It has a payload of 6 tons and can travel a maximum distance of 5,000 kilometers (3100 miles).
The project, launched over a decade ago, was canceled in 2011, but the work on the Il-112 resumed in 2013.
Two Il-112V prototypes, including one for static and fatigue tests and the other for flight tests, will be built initially. Construction and maiden flight of the prototypes is scheduled for completion in 2016. The first production aircraft is expected to be delivered in 2018.
A model aircraft of the Il-112V was exhibited at the Aero India 2015 air show held in Bangalore in February 2015.
JSC Ilyushin Aviation Complex was selected to develop the airlifter in May 2003, but the manufacturing of the first prototype was halted due to design flaws in 2011.
The Russian Ministry of Defence unveiled plans to award a RUB7.9bn ($240m) contract for the development of the Il-112V in December 2013. The development was resumed in December 2014 when Ilyushin concluded a contract with the Russian Defence Ministry to carry out engineering and development work of the Il-112V.
A state contract for the supply of Il-112V production aircraft is expected to be signed in 2015. On 10 August 2015, the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) announced that the first production-standard Ilyushin Il-112V transport aircraft is set to roll off the line at Voronezh Aircraft Plant in the first half of 2017. Yury Borisov, a Russian deputy minister of defense, said the aircraft is also scheduled to make its first flight in 2017.
The development and production of Il-112V will involve participation of 30 Russian enterprises and more than 50 aircraft component suppliers.
The aircraft will be manufactured by JSC Voronezh Aircraft Manufacturing Company (VASO), while JSC Klimov will supply the engine.
Aviastar-SP will provide fuselage panels and other airframe components, while Russian aircraft equipment supplier JSC Aviaagregat will develop a new retractable tricycle landing gear for the airlifter.
Design and features
The Il-112V light military transport aircraft features classic high-wing monoplane design with constant chord inner wings and tapered outer wings. The circular fuselage is designed to withstand heavy loads.
A T-tail configuration, which consists of a vertical stabiliser and a rudder, attaches the fuselage. The retractable tricycle landing gear will include a nose wheel unit and two main wheel units.
The aircraft can be operated from short / unpaved runways and can be automatically land on ICAO category II aerodromes. It can be manually land on poorly equipped aerodromes, or aerodromes without radio technical equipment.
A crew of two personnel can operate the airlifter. It has a maximum take-off weight of up to 20t, and payload capacity of 6t. The cargo cabin is attached with a loading ramp for loading and unloading of cargo, while the cabin is 11.2m long, 2.45m wide, and up to 2.4m high.
Cockpit and avionics
A glass cockpit features on the light military transport aircraft, as does an advanced digital avionics suite incorporating navigation equipment, communications, flight displays and monitoring systems.
Engine and performance of Il-112V
The Il-112V will be powered by two Klimov TV7-117S / TV7-117SE modular turboprop engines, which generate a maximum take-off power of 2,800hp each. The engine is 2.14m long and 0.94m in diameter, and weighs 450kg, while the propulsion system consists of two six-bladed propellers.
Speeds ranging between 550km/h and 580km/h can be attained by the airlifter. It will have a maximum operational range of 6,000km flying at an altitude of 8,100m.
Variants (built and proposed)
Il-112V - Standard Model.
Il-112VT - Light transport aircraft.
Specifications
General characteristics
Crew: 2
Length: 23.14 m (75 ft 11 in)
Wingspan: 25.74 m (84 ft 5 in)
Height: 8.87 m (29 ft 1 in)
Wing area: 300.0 m² ()
Useful load: 6000 kg (13,000 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 20,000 kg (44,000 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Klimov TV7-117ST turboprops, 2,100 kW (2,800 hp) each
Performance
Cruise speed: 550-580 km/h (340-360 mph)
Range: 5,000 km with 2 tonne load; 1000 km with max load (3,100 mi with 2 ton load; 600 mi with max load)
Service ceiling: 9,000 m (30,000 ft)