KAZAN, June 25. /TASS/. Russia’s Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A and Il-78M-90A military planes will be outfitted with electronic warfare systems that will protect them against surface-to-air missiles, Chief Designer of Radiopribor Company Yevgeny Glebov told reporters on Thursday.
"The defensive aids suites [against anti-aircraft missiles] will be mounted on the Il-76MD-90A planes and also on the Il-78M-90A new aerial refueling tanker. The first model of the aerial refueling tanker features the system made by its developer [Ekran Research Institute] while Il-76MD-90A planes are serial-produced and, therefore, we will mount serial defensive aids suites on them," the chief designer said.
The production of defensive aids suites is a new task for the company. The suite is based on an active jamming station that impacts surface-to-air missiles’ systems, he said.
"Surface-to-air missiles have two principles of operation: a radar homing warhead and an infrared active guidance warhead. That is why, the defensive aids suite includes a jamming station that actively impacts a flying missile’s emissions and gives it a false direction, after which the missile moves sideways," he explained.
The Il-76MD-90A is a heavily upgraded version of the Il-76MD military transport plane. The aircraft’s new navigation and automated control systems and its communications suite enhance flight safety and the accuracy of piloting and landing.
The latest modification of the widely known military transport plane is distinguished by its new equipment, including the glass cockpit, modern PS-90A-76 engines, the modified wing and the enhanced landing gear. Russia is developing an Il-78-90A aerial refueling tanker on the basis of the Il-76MD-90A plane.
