Russia probes defective bearings grounding key Il‑76 transport planes
The Russians are conducting an investigation related to the delivery of defective ball bearings used in the production of components for the Russians' main workhorses, the Ilyushin Il-76 transport planes. Here's what this machine can do and why it was grounded.
According to the portal Militarnyj, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation is investigating unidentified persons on the board of the Balashikha Bearing Plant (BLMZ) located in Moscow.
Businessmen were said to have sourced ball bearings of unknown origin and, after falsifying documentation, delivered them to the Aviastar plant in Ulyanovsk, which produces the Il-76 aircraft, from 2017 to 2022. The defective bearings caused a series of failures and grounded five Il-76 aircraft, which was deemed a detriment to the national interest by the Ministry of Defence of Russia and a blow to Russia's defence and security.
Five aircraft is a significant loss for a fleet comprising about 120 aircraft (about 70% of which were operational) after adding at least six lost units in Ukraine.
It is worth noting that ball bearings are a key component of many parts, and before 2022, according to a report from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Russia imported 55% of its needs from Europe and the USA. These were generally the highest quality bearings, access to which was cut off due to sanctions, leaving the Russians with basically only Chinese sources offering significantly lower quality.
Il-76 aircraft - the workhorse of Russian transport aviation
The Il-76 is a four-engine transport aircraft with a length of 47 metres and a wingspan of 50 metres produced in the Soviet Union, designed and built by the Ilyushin design bureau in the 1970s. The first prototype Il-76 took flight in 1971, and serial production began in 1974. The machine gained popularity among the former Warsaw Pact countries and many Third World countries, appreciating its durability and versatility.
The Il-76 aircraft features a long range of about 3,600 kilometres and the ability to operate from unprepared airfields, making it ideal for logistics missions in various terrain conditions due to its ability to carry 50 tonnes of cargo. In addition to the transport version, the Il-76 has also seen versions as a firefighting aircraft, a tanker (Il-78), and an early warning aircraft, specifically the Beriev A-50.
