Ilyushin has completed the contract with Russian Defense Ministry for the repair and modernization of the first batch of Il-38 anti-sub...
Ilyushin has completed the contract with Russian Defense Ministry for the repair and modernization of the first batch of Il-38 anti-submarine aircraft of Russian Navy.
A total of five aircraft were upgraded to the Il-38N standard, under the contract. Also a new contract was signed for modernization of another batch of the Il-38.
The modernization includes installation of the new Novella-P-38 target search and track system, which can track air targets at ranges of up to 90 kilometers and surface objects within a radius of 320 kilometers. The system consist of high-resolution radar, display, thermal imaging subsystem, infrared sensor, a magnetometer and an electronic intelligence (ELINT) system.
The aircraft is equipped with a Forward looking infrared (FLIR) turret under the nose and the ELINT system is housed in a box-like structure mounted on struts above the forward fuselage.
The Il-38 was developed to counter the threat of U.S Navy nuclear submarines, carrying ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads. On June 18, 1960 the Council of Ministers of the USSR adopted a regulation for development of the long-range aircraft Il-38 for anti-submarine defense. The first flight of the prototype Il-38 took place on September 28, 1961.
In December 1967 the first production Il-38 was manufactured, from March 1968 the introduction of the aircraft to armed forces began – the first aircraft joined the Northern fleet aviation. On January 1969 the Il-38 was officially put into service with Navy aviation.
The aircraft has two internal weapon bays for carriage of missiles, torpedoes, depth charges and free fall bombs.
