Ilyushin Il-78 'Midas'

The Il-78 (NATO 'Midas') is a tanker based on the Il-76MD. It first flew on 26 June 1983 and carries three UPAZ-1 hose-and-drogue pods, so it can refuel up to three aircraft. The first version kept removable tanks in the cargo hold and could be returned to the transport role. The Il-78M, first flown on 7 March 1987, is a dedicated tanker with fixed fuselage tanks and a faster-flowing UPAZ-1M pod on the rear fuselage; it can transfer up to 105.7 tonnes of fuel.

Tashkent built the type from 1984 to 1993, including 32 Il-78s, 13 Il-78Ms and one Il-78E for Libya. After 1991 Ukraine inherited 20 aircraft, several of which were later converted back into freighters or sold abroad: China received three from Ukraine between 2014 and 2016, and Pakistan's four Il-78MP multi-role tanker-transports were refurbished at Mykolaiv and delivered in 2009–2012.

India ordered six Il-78MKIs in 2002, fitted with Cobham Mk.32B pods and flown by No. 78 Squadron. In 2008 two of them supported the Indian Air Force's first deployment to Exercise Red Flag in the United States. Russia's new-build Il-78M-90A, based on the Il-76MD-90A, first flew on 25 January 2018.