India

IL‑76MD Lands at Nyoma Airbase, Setting Highest‑Altitude Record for Military Transport Aircraft

By Amrita Nayak Dutta

An Indian Air Force IL‑76MD ‘Gajraj’ landed at the Mudh‑Nyoma airbase in eastern Ladakh at 13,629 feet on Friday, becoming the highest‑altitude landing by a military transport aircraft anywhere in the world. The airbase, located about 25 km from the Line of Actual Control, was inaugurated a year ago and was upgraded with a 2.7‑km runway under a Rs 218‑crore project by the Border Roads Organisation. The landing demonstrates the Russian‑origin heavy‑lift aircraft’s ability to deliver men and equipment close to the border, a key capability for mountain warfare. The Indian Air Force posted on X that the event was a “remarkable demonstration of the aircraft’s enduring capability, backed by the exceptional skill, precision and professionalism of its crew,” and called it a “milestone that reinforces India’s strategic capability.” The IL‑76MD can carry 40–45 tonnes, including heavy platforms such as tanks and BMPs. India acquired 17 of these aircraft between 1985 and 1989; they have faced serviceability issues due to spare‑parts shortages after the Soviet Union’s collapse and the Russia‑Ukraine war. The IAF is pursuing a Medium Transport Aircraft programme to replace the IL‑76 and AN‑32 fleets. The landing follows earlier high‑altitude operations, such as a 2013 C‑130J landing at Daulat Beg Oldie (16,614 ft). The upgraded Nyoma runway now allows heavier transport aircraft to operate, expanding logistical support for the Army in eastern Ladakh.