TEHRAN – The Iranian Air Force on Monday brought into service a homegrown simulator system for the Russian-made Ilyushin Il-76 strategic airlifter, Tasnim reported.

The strategic airlifter was unveiled in a ceremony in Tehran attended by Air Force Commander Aziz Nasirzadeh.

The Air Force chief said experts from Air Force have made such advances in the technology of full flight simulators that they can develop simulators for both military and civilian aircraft.

Nasirzadeh also unveiled plans to produce a homegrown simulator system for P3F planes.

Ilyushin Il-76, Soviet military transport aircraft, first flown in 1971 and first produced in 1975. It was designed by the Ilyushin design bureau under G.V. Novozhilov. 

The Il-76 was a heavy transport plane, capable of handling a payload of more than 88,000 pounds (40,000 kilograms), according to britannica.com. 

It was equipped with two cranes that traveled on overhead tracks, and its rear ramp doubled as a hoist. Unlike most military transports, the Il-76 was armed, with two guns in a rear turret. 

Its four turbofan engines produced 26,455 pounds of thrust each. Its maximum speed in level flight was 528 miles per hour (850 km per hour), and its ceiling was 50,850 feet (15,500 m). From 30 to 90 passengers could be accommodated.

NA/PA