Cold War: Approximately 1947 (due to U.S. President Harry Truman’s Truman Doctrine) to 1991 (Operation Desert Storm, collapse of Soviet Union).
The Ilyushin Design Bureau presented the idea of the ’76’ in 1967. Development commenced, with the first flight in March 1971. Ilyushin is now part of United Aircraft Corporation (aka United Aircraft Russia).
Soviet II-76 Candid, photo released by NATO in January 1977.
Sometime during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, 1979-89.
Soviet II-76 Candid, photo released by NATO in April 1983.
Il-76, NATO reporting name Candid.
Soviet II-76 Candid, photo released by NATO in January 1988.
Ukrainian Il-76 in United Nations ‘peacekeeping’ service on Moi International Airport, Mombasa, Kenya, November 1992.
From U.S. Army FM 44-80, Visual Aircraft Recognition, July 1993 edition.
A Russian Il-76 delivers humanitarian aid at Goma Airport (then part of Zaire), for the Rwandan refugees, 03AUG1994. U.S. Air Force photo by Technical Sergeant Val Gempis.
Another contracted Il-76 delivers humanitarian aid from Canada on Goma Airport (then part of Zaire), for the Rwandan refugees, 03AUG1994. U.S. Air Force photo by Technical Sergeant Marvin Krause.
Russian Il-76 off-loads NATO-Canadian military equipment on Kigali Airport, Rwanda, 05AUG1994. U.S. Air Force photo by Technical Sergeant Marvin Krause.
PEACEKEEPER ’95: RUSSIA INVADES NATO-UNITED STATES! RED DAWN FOR REALS?
Russian Il-76 serving in the United Nations ‘peacekeeping’ operations, Sarajevo Airport, Bosnia-Herzegovina, 09JUN1995. U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sergeant Michael J. Haggerty.
Russian vehicles roll off an Il-76 onto Tuzla Air Base, Bosnia-Herzegovina, 12JAN1996. USAF photo by Senior Airman Ken Bergmann.
Notice the military versions of the Il-76 have tail guns, while the silly-vilian (civilian) versions do not.
A Russian Il-76TD delivers humanitarian aid on Roberts International Airport, Liberia, under the guard of U.S. Marines. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Nathan E. Eason, 14AUG2003.
A contracted Il-76 delivers supplies to U.S. forces on Mosul, Iraq, 19SEP2003.
A derilict Iraqi Airways Il-76 sits on the tarmac of Baghdad International Airport. After Desert Storm, the U.S./NATO imposed a ‘no-fly’ zone over Iraq, including Iraqi civilian airline traffic, effectively killing Iraqi Airways. That changed in 2006. USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Scott Sturkol, 21OCT2003.
The Il-78 (NATO reporting name Midas) is the aerial fueler version of the Il-76.
Indian Air Force Ilyushin IL-78MKI Midas aerial refueler on Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, 29JUL2004. USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Matthew Hannen.
Navigator station on the Indian Air Force IL-78 Midas. USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Matthew Hannen, 30JUL2004.
Inside the cargo area of the Indian IL-78 Midas. USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Matthew Hannen, 30JUL2004.
An Il-76 delivers a Mi-2 crop-duster on Baghdad International Airport, Iraq. U.S. Army photo by First Sergeant Robert Heberling, 03MAY2006.
Contracted Il-76 unloads supplies for U.S. forces in Iraq, 20MAR2008. USAF photo by Sabrina Johnson.
A contracted Il-76TD sits next to USAF C-17s on Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, 19NOV2009. USAF photo by Senior Airman Felicia Juenke.
South Carolina National Guard personnel arrive on Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, 10JUN2012. Behind them, amid the gaggle of V22 Ospreys, is a Russian Il-76. U.S. Air Force photo by Technical Sergeant Caycee Watson.
Ukraine Crisis: February 2014 (NATO backed coup) to present.
In 2015, Russia began using the new Il-76MD-90A.
In May, 2015, the U.S. Agency for International Development used an Il-76 to deliver humanitarian aid to Nepal, following a devastating earthquake. USAF photo by Staff Sergeant Melissa B. White, 08MAY2015.
NATO video, NATO-Belgian troops take a ride on a Ukrainian military Il-76MD, 23OCT2015:
Russia uses Il-76MD hospital aircraft called ‘Scalpels’, to return Russian journalists and military personnel who’ve been wounded in the NATO instigated Syrian ‘civil war’.
Candid reports for duty with the USAF in Kuwait, 11MAR2019. USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Robert Cloys.
USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Robert Cloys, 11MAR2019.
USAF photo by Technical Sergeant Robert Cloys, 11MAR2019.
An Il-76 working for the USAF on Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait, 09JUL2019. South Carolina Air National Guard photo by Captain Stephen Hudson.
USAF time-lapse video by Technical Sergeant Michael Mason, loading a contracted Il-76 in Kuwait, 09JUL2019:
In August 2019, a Ukrainian Il-76TD was blown up by rebel forces in Libya. The NATO instigated ‘civil war’ is still raging, and believe it or not both Ukraine and Russia support the NATO approved ‘government’ forces!
Russian Defense Ministry video of Il-76 rough-field landing/taking-off, 2019:
In March 2020, Russia sent nine Il-76s to NATO-Italy, carrying medical personnel to help NATO-Italy fight the so-called covid pandemic.
Il-76MD water bomber.
In Summer 2021, Iran sent a waterbombing Il-76TD to NATO-Turkey to help fight wildfires.
In 2021, Russia announced it will overhaul six of India’s Il-78MKI Midas tankers.
Russian Defense Ministry video of Il-76 airborne troop operation, during wargame in Belarus, September 2021:
Palettes of CoViD-19 vaccines were delivered to Yemen, using an Il-76. This included vaccines paid for by U.S. taxpayers through USAID. A previous delivery was made in August 2021. They were delivered by the UN-WHO/Gates Foundation/World Bank’s Gavi Alliance. Photo by Drew Sullivan, 20DEC2021.
Pakistani Il-78s being upgraded to MP standard in Ukraine, photo posted February 2022.
YY-20, CHINA’S NEW LONG RANGE AIRBORNE FUELER, OFFSPRING OF THE IL-76?
Photo via UARussia (United Aircraft Russia), November 2022.
Russian news report about newest Il-76, the Il-76MD-90A, the video shows the roll-out of the 18th ‘MD-90A’ on 29NOV2022:
The fifth production Il-76MD-90A, of 2022, made its first flight on 04DEC2022. Since 2014, at least 18 of the new Candids have been built.
On 10DEC2022, Russian Aerospace Forces took official possession of two new Il-76 aircraft, one an upgraded Il-76MDM, the other a new build Il-76MD-90A. The ‘MD-90A’ has a new designed wing, strengthened landing gear, more efficient turbines, a ‘glass cockpit’, and an electronic defense system against anti-aircraft missiles.
Cold War to Ukraine Crisis: 
AMX-10RCR
