Ukrainian Firm Signs Contract to Repair Pakistani IL-78 Refueling Aircraft

Ukrainian firm Ukrspetsexport signed a contract with the Pakistani Air Force (PAF) to repair its IL-78 aerial refueling aircraft on Tuesday.

The agreement was signed on the second day of the “Arms and Security-2021” exhibition currently on in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev.

“Today, Ukrspetsexport, represented by its General Director Vadym Nozdri, signed a contract with Pakistani partners for the repair of another (second) IL-78 refueling aircraft,” the company announced on its Facebook page.

In June of last year, DK “Ukrspetsexport” won a multi-million dollar tender to repair the first of the PAF’s IL-78 refueling aircraft. That contract for the repair of the fuel tanker has already been successfully fulfilled by the State Enterprise, Mykolaiv Air Repair Plant, the announcement said.

In addition, the Ukrainian side received confirmation of the intentions of the PAF to conclude the next package of contracts for the overhaul of two more refueling aircraft. The (repair) package is worth more than $30 million for all four planes.

Pakistan purchased 4 Il-78 aircraft from Ukraine in 2018 equipped with with Russian-designed UPAZ refueling pods, Full operation begain by 2010. The refueling pods on the IL-78 Midas aircraft are suitable to refuel the PAF’s JF-17 jets.