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Russia may develop electronic warfare aircraft based on upgraded Il-114-300 plane

The Il-114 plane is also highly attractive for Russia’s potential state customers as it is produced with the use of domestically-made components

MOSCOW, August 28. /TASS/. A combat air platform or an electronic warfare aircraft may be developed in Russia on the basis of an upgraded Ilyushin Il-114-300 plane, Ilyushin Aircraft Company Director for Il-114 Programs Ivan Kabatov told TASS on Tuesday.

"With its unique performance characteristics, the plane is an optimal platform for making air platforms to solve the broadest range of tasks - from monitoring, patrolling and transport carriages to electronic warfare, reconnaissance and combat employment," Kabatov said.

The RADAR-MMS Research and Production Enterprise has accumulated vast experience in testing and using promising radio-electronic complexes on the basis of the Il-114LL flying laboratory, he said.

"The duration of hovering, the low cruising speed, the broad temperature range and the possibility of its use from unprepared aerodromes give all the grounds to consider this aircraft as a platform for special versions for years to come," the director of Il-114 programs said.

The Il-114 is also "highly attractive for Russia’s potential state customers as it is produced using domestically-made components," Kabatov said.

On her part, Ilyushin Marketing Director Tamara Kakushadze said that the prospects of future orders for this aircraft were discussed with representatives of the Russian federal executive authorities at the Army-2018 international military and technical forum. The producers of Il-114-300 planes "also learnt the specific requirements of potential customers for aircraft special versions," she added.

The Il-114-300 twin-engine turboprop plane is an upgraded version of the Il-114 aircraft developed in the 1980s.