Create an Anti-Submarine Aircraft to Replace the Il-38 in Russia

Moscow, March 4 – Russia has begun to develop an anti-submarine aircraft to replace the Soviet Il-38, which, in particular, will receive the most modern equipment on board and a larger set of weapons, an informed source told the News Agency on Saturday.

“Experimental design work has begun on creating a basic anti-submarine, reconnaissance and patrol aircraft to replace the Soviet Il-38. The new aircraft will retain the standard four-engine layout of aircraft of this class and is scheduled to be equipped with TV7-117 engines,” the agency spokesman said. with turbocharged engines.

The source did not disclose the parameters of the future machine, but noted that the flight characteristics of the new aircraft “will be typical for anti-submarine helicopters.”

At the same time, the interlocutor noted that “the car will receive the most modern on-board equipment, including a new on-board computer, a multifunctional search and vision system and new sonar buoys.” In addition, he explained that the range of weapons will be expanded compared to the Il-38 – the new aircraft will receive a larger range of ammunition.

According to the source, the new anti-submarine aircraft will be built almost entirely on domestic components and electronic components.

The Il-38 is a Soviet medium-range anti-submarine and naval patrol aircraft, produced in 1967-1972. In total, more than 60 panels were built. The machine was created on the basis of the Il-18 passenger airliner. The latest modification of the aircraft – Il-38N.

In the basic version, the aircraft is equipped with radio sonar buoys to search for enemy submarines, as well as many anti-submarine weapons, including depth charges, torpedoes and mines. The modernized version of the Il-38N is equipped with a new multifunctional search and sighting complex “Novella”, capable of detecting surface ships at a distance of more than 320 kilometers.

The system can simultaneously track dozens of underwater and surface radio-emitting targets. The combat radius of the Il-38 / Il-38N is 2.5 thousand kilometers, the maximum speed of the aircraft is 650 km / h, and the practical ceiling is 10,000 meters.

To date, according to data from open sources, up to 25 Il-38s and modernized Il-38Ns are in service in the naval aviation of all Russian fleets, but there is no exact information about the number of these aircraft in service. According to the well-known reference book Military Balance for 2022, Russian naval aviation included one regiment and two squadrons of Il-38 / Il-38N, which is 24 aircraft for aircraft of this class. Il-38s are also operated by the Indian Navy.