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Claim That Russia Is Building Il-78MK-90A Tankers for China: What Is Confirmed

Claim That Russia Is Building Il-78MK-90A Tankers for China: What Is Confirmed
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No, it has not been officially confirmed that Russia has started building Il-78MK-90A tankers for China. What exists is a photo and a leak. An image shared on 26 October 2026 shows a newly built Il-78 at the Aviastar-SP plant in Ulyanovsk with a partial marking resembling PLAAF insignia. Army Recognition, which reported it on 28 October, says the marking alone does not establish PLAAF ownership. I found no statement from Rostec, UAC, Rosoboronexport or China’s defence ministry confirming an order or production.

Last updated: 29 October 2026

Where the claim comes from

There are two strands. The first is the photo, posted on X by an account called ACuriousPLAFan and written up by Army Recognition’s Jérôme Brahy. The second is a 2025 leak. According to Army Recognition (17 October 2025), a leaked Russian industry document was cited by analyst Piotr Butowski on X on 16 October 2025. It refers to a buyer coded “customer 156” weighing 20 Il-78MK-90A tankers, with deliveries pencilled in for 2027-2028. The 2026 report suggests customer 156 could be China and points to an inquiry dated 13 September 2023. The Chinese link is an inference, not something the document spells out.

The same report is explicit about the gaps: no confirmed contract, advance payment, production allocation or delivery schedule. “Started” is premature; “alleged” is accurate.

What the Il-78 and Il-78MK-90A are

The Il-78 (NATO reporting name Midas) is a Soviet-era tanker derived from the Ilyushin Il-76MD transport. Per Wikipedia it first flew on 26 June 1983 and entered service in 1987. It refuels with the probe-and-drogue method through three UPAZ-1M pods, two under the wings and one at the rear fuselage. Envanter Medya also has a Turkish explainer on aerial refuelling aircraft.

The Il-78M-90A is the new-generation version based on the Il-76MD-90A. Its prototype flew on 25 January 2018, and Aviation Week reported that Russia’s defence ministry and UAC signed a first contract for 10 aircraft in Ulyanovsk in December 2020. The Il-78MK-90A is described as the export variant marketed by Rosoboronexport.

Figures reported by Army Recognition, not independently verified by the manufacturer:

  • Four PS-90A-76 engines, 157 kN each
  • 78 tonnes of fuel transferred at 1,000 km (74 for the Il-78M, 42 for the original Il-78)
  • Three UPAZ-1M pods, up to 2,500-3,000 litres per minute
  • Maximum take-off weight 210,000 kg, range 7,300 km
  • Convertible to freight work with up to 60 tonnes of payload, but it cannot refuel while doing so

The same source gives an estimated price of $110-130 million per aircraft. That is an estimate, not an official figure, and it excludes spare engines, training and infrastructure.

China’s current tanker fleet

Army Recognition estimates the PLAAF has 43 tanker-capable aircraft: three older Il-78s, 30 YY-20As and 10 Y-20Bs. It is an estimate, and “tanker-capable” does not mean all are available at once. According to Wikipedia, the three Il-78s were ordered from Ukraine in 2011 and delivered between 2014 and 2016 after overhaul. China also operates bomber-derived tankers such as the H-6U.

Moscow and Beijing have been here before. StrategyPage reported in 2005 that China had agreed to pay about $1.5 billion for 38 Il-76 and Il-78 aircraft; the deal later collapsed. Accounts differ on why (price increase or production problems in Tashkent), so I do not give a single cause.

Why it matters, and why to be careful

If confirmed, 20 aircraft would enlarge China’s tanker-capable fleet by about 46.5 percent on Army Recognition’s arithmetic, a stopgap while YY-20 output ramps up. But Aviastar-SP already has Russia’s own 10-aircraft order, Il-76MD-90A production and possible Algerian demand to handle; Army Recognition mentions an export-configured Il-78 seen in August 2026 with a possible Algerian connection. Algeria is already an Il-78 operator, and India (six Il-78MKI) and Pakistan (Il-78MP) also fly Il-78 variants, per Wikipedia.

Türkiye’s position

Türkiye has no domestic programme in the Il-78 class, so there is no side-by-side comparison here. Its Air Force operates seven KC-135R tankers at Incirlik, which Shephard reports were upgraded to Block 45 standard by Field Aerospace. An unnamed Turkish official told Breaking Defense on 2 June 2025 that the choice for new tankers is between the Airbus A330 MRTT and Boeing’s KC-46A. I found no announced decision, quantity or schedule, and no confirmation of any TUSAS role.

FAQ

What is the Il-78MK-90A?

The reported export version of Russia’s Il-78M-90A tanker, built on the Il-76MD-90A airframe, with a stated 78 tonnes of fuel transfer at 1,000 km.

Has China ordered the Il-78MK-90A?

Not confirmed. A 2025 leak points to 20 aircraft for an unnamed “customer 156”, but no contract or delivery schedule has been verified.

How many tankers does China have?

An estimated 43 tanker-capable aircraft: three Il-78s, 30 YY-20As and 10 Y-20Bs. This is not an official count.

Sources

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