Russian military transport fleet hit by defective ball bearings scandal
The Russians are investigating the delivery of defective ball bearings used in the production of components for Ilyushin Il-76 transport planes, which are the main workhorses for the Russians. Here’s what this machine can do and what grounded them.
9:38 AM EDT, July 20, 2024
According to the portal Militarnyj, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation is investigating unidentified persons on the Balashikha Bearing Plant (BLMZ) board 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. Five Il-76 aircraft were grounded, deemed a detriment to the national interest by the Ministry of Defense of Russia and a blow to Russia’s defense 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 vital component of many parts. Before 2022, according to a Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) report, Russia imported 55% of its needs from Europe and the USA. These were generally the highest-quality bearings, but access to them 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 154 feet and a wingspan of 164 feet. It was produced in the Soviet Union and designed 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 2,237 miles and the ability to operate from unprepared airfields, making it ideal for logistics missions in various terrain conditions due to its ability to carry 55 tons 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.
