Russia Eyes Inviting India to Il-100 Slon Super-Heavy Military Transport Aircraft Program as IAF Grapples with Its Aging Il-76 Fleet

In a move that could signal a major renewal of long-standing aerospace ties, Russia is reportedly preparing to invite India to join its next-generation Il-100 Slon (‘Elephant’) super-heavy military transport aircraft program.

This potential offer comes at a critical time for the Indian Air Force (IAF), which is facing significant operational challenges with its fleet of aging Soviet-era Il-76 transport aircraft.

The invitation, if formally extended, would present New Delhi with a strategic opportunity to address a growing gap in its strategic airlift capabilities and co-develop a platform for the future.

For decades, India has been one of the largest operators of Russian military hardware, and this collaboration could deepen that defence partnership.

IAF's Aging "Gajraj" Fleet in Urgent Need of Replacement​

The backbone of the IAF's heavy-lift component for nearly four decades, the Il-76, affectionately nicknamed "Gajraj" (King Elephant), is nearing the end of its service life. Inducted between 1985 and 1989, the fleet has been hampered by severe maintenance issues.

According to official reports, including a 2017 Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audit, the serviceability rate of the Il-76 fleet has been worryingly low, at times falling below 40% against a required minimum of 70%.

These issues are compounded by a chronic shortage of spare parts, a problem made worse by international sanctions on Russia. This has frequently left a substantial portion of the fleet grounded, impacting the IAF's ability to transport troops and heavy equipment, especially to strategic high-altitude border regions.

While the IAF's 11 American-made C-17 Globemaster III aircraft have proven exceptionally reliable with near-perfect availability rates, their production line was closed by Boeing in 2015.

This makes acquiring additional units nearly impossible, leaving the IAF to search for a viable, long-term replacement for its 17 remaining Il-76s.

The Il-100 Slon: A Modern Successor​

The Il-100 Slon is Russia's ambitious project to develop a modern strategic airlifter to replace its own aging An-124 and Il-76 fleets.

Developed by the renowned Ilyushin Design Bureau, the aircraft is envisioned as a four-engine transport with a projected payload capacity of up to 100 metric tons, significantly more than the IAF's C-17s (77 tonnes) and double that of the Il-76 (45-50 tonnes).

Early designs reveal an aircraft with features similar to the C-17, such as a high-wing configuration and a rear loading ramp, but also incorporating elements from the massive An-124 Ruslan for carrying oversized cargo.

The Slon is being designed for versatility, capable of deploying troops, transporting main battle tanks and other heavy military hardware, and conducting humanitarian aid missions.

Crucially for India, it is being developed to operate from short and unpaved runways, a key requirement for supporting military outposts in remote areas like the Himalayas.

Advanced PD-35 Engine at its Core​

Powering the Il-100 will be four advanced PD-35 turbofan engines, currently under development by Russia's United Engine Corporation. Each engine is designed to produce approximately 35 tons of thrust, making it one of the most powerful engines of its kind.

Based on the core design of the smaller PD-14 engine, the PD-35 incorporates modern technologies like composite materials and 3D-printed components to reduce weight and increase efficiency.

Though development has faced delays, with serial production now anticipated around 2030, successful ground tests of the engine's core components have been completed.

These new engines promise to give the Slon greater range, fuel efficiency, and payload capacity compared to older aircraft.

Comparative Look: IAF's Current vs. Proposed Fleet​

A partnership in the Slon program could offer the IAF a platform that not only replaces the Il-76 but also enhances its overall airlift capacity beyond the current C-17 fleet.

Feature	Il-76MD (IAF Current)	C-17 Globemaster III (IAF)	Il-100 Slon (Projected)
Payload Capacity	45-50 tonnes	77 tonnes	90-100 tonnes
Unrefueled Range	~4,000 km	~4,400-5,000 km	~5,000+ km (est.)
Runway Requirement	~3,000 m	~914 m (Short-field)	~2,500 m (est.)
Serviceability (IAF)	~38%	~100%	To Be Determined
Engines (Thrust)	4x D-30KP (117 kN each)	4x F117-PW-100 (178 kN each)	4x PD-35 (350 kN each)

The decision for India will involve balancing the strategic benefits of co-developing a next-generation aircraft with a trusted partner against the risks associated with the long development timelines and reliance on a single foreign supplier.

However, with limited options available globally for new super-heavy airlifters, the Il-100 Slon presents a compelling, if challenging, path forward for modernizing the IAF's transport fleet.

 

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[Mc Addy]

These are good opportunities if made in India ,not Russia for starters as Russia fooled us into funding in 2000s on stealth and till date we are gappling with that loss of strategic advance over China ,otherwise we would be the most modern airforce in this part of world. So tell Russia,we make here , we fund so it's here where sucess will come like Bhramos missile.

 

[Mc Addy]

Russians are not to relied upon ,as once they come into Chinese arm twist tactics they will drop us so what's needs is made here, in India otherwise buy from somewhere else or forget it, use mules from RVC and yes ,such massive aircrafts are need by all branches of armed forces for AWACS, medevacs, paradrops , Ariel refulling tankers and command and control centres in air during war ,so find good use for them , build special aircrafts from scratch,instead of later modifications and then results will cost effectiveness and cutting edge systems ,,rolled into one and yes, there can be a heavy bombers version ,that can launch a few 50 cruise missiles in one go ,onto a target at mach .08 , will be a force multipliers like non other . Think and do, but do it here and now.

 

[P2S2]

Russians are not to relied upon ,as once they come into Chinese arm twist tactics they will drop us so what's needs is made here, in India otherwise buy from somewhere else or forget it, use mules from RVC and yes ,such massive aircrafts are need by all branches of armed forces for AWACS, medevacs, paradrops , Ariel refulling tankers and command and control centres in air during war ,so find good use for them , build special aircrafts from scratch,instead of later modifications and then results will cost effectiveness and cutting edge systems ,,rolled into one and yes, there can be a heavy bombers version ,that can launch a few 50 cruise missiles in one go ,onto a target at mach .08 , will be a force multipliers like non other . Think and do, but do it here and now.

Congrats. You're on the roll , you have the size, the need and the ability to pay for it. You'll end up in a critical position in the partnership. Go for it with eyes wide open, with the ability to become a leading and possibly superior heavy lifter in the world. Leaders are created by necessity.

 

[sanket]

Private players should lead the way, while the runway requirement for the IL-100 SIon is almost thrice that of the C-17 Globemaster. Also, the crew requirement for the IL-100 SIon is more than double. Anyway, this is a good opportunity for private players.

 

[India20XX]

Go for it if it is to be produced in India. Since nobody will buy from Russia fearing CAATSA. Decreasing the payload will yield similar results to that of a C-17.

 

[मित्र]

If a partnership is on the table for sharing technologies, then we should go ahead, not only as a buyer.

Having our own heavy lifter will be a game changer.

 

[Flanker]

Wow. We need heavy transport aircrafts after C17 production closure. This is a good option if offered ToT and Made in India.

 

[Sunny]

The capability of the aircraft seems well over IAF requirements, but it's better to have it. We should go for around 20-25 with an MRO facility to be set up here with a limited ToT as the numbers are few.

 

[Ngorno karabakh]

If we're going to do this, then we'll probably make a deal for a maritime patrol aircraft as well... maybe, a P-8I alternative.

 

[SURESH RAO]

PD-24 is a 240 kN engine, PD-28 is a 280 kN engine and now PD-35 is a 328 kN engine.

And America's F-117-PW-100 is a 178 kN engine. Ha ha ha.

 

[Kira]

It's a paper plane, as Russia does not have the capacity to produce any new designs, be it for bombers, transport, tanks, and submarines.

Russia is even struggling hard to produce things that already exist, like the Armata tank or Su-57, let alone new paper designs.

Plus, Russian powerplants are something that the IAF desperately wants to avoid due to their known unreliability and high maintenance, as seen on the IL-76, and of course, spares supply issues.

 

[Snowstrike]

It's a paper plane, as Russia does not have the capacity to produce any new designs, be it for bombers, transport, tanks, and submarines.

Russia is even struggling hard to produce things that already exist, like the Armata tank or Su-57, let alone new paper designs.

Plus, Russian powerplants are something that the IAF desperately wants to avoid due to their known unreliability and high maintenance, as seen on the IL-76, and of course, spares supply issues.

True that. I'm glad someone here understands real context rather than blind chest-beating!

 

[emgee]

Go for the A400M. It will allow the IAF to use the C-17 purely for heavy lifting, thus extending the fleet's useful life.

 

[Sandeep]

India should not automatically join this project at all as no prototype has been made and its exact specifications and capabilities are unknown. While they are giving approximate specifications and details on paper, however, in real life those numbers will vary. It might overachieve or underachieve the requirements, specifications and capabilities that we want.

If India wants to replace the Il-76 with a transporter with a similar payload and weight capability then India should make a deal to manufacture the latest IL-76 version under a license. We should receive a high amount of critical technology, manufacture it indigenously, freely make changes, freely make upgrades and maintain an indigenous MRO facility. While sanctions are placed we are bypassing it

Other than this plane we have more planes from France and the USA which are very expensive even if we manufactured it under a license, we won’t get any critical technology, won’t get to manufacture it nor have any indigenous MRO facility etc. We have a large requirement so it’s still possible that a deal in our favour and benefit can occur from the west.

 

[War is good for business]

Everything depends on PD-35 engine. Full access to information should be there before any decision. Fuselage can be made but for the engine proper data needs to be sought.