Airbus Defence and Space C-295 vs Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A
Airbus Defence and Space C-295 and Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A are both transport & tanker, compared here on public specifications. The Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A leads on max speed (850 vs 480 km/h). Several Russia-origin figures here are manufacturer or state claims with limited independent verification, so treat this comparison as directional.
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Full data
Full spec sheet
 Airbus Defence and Space C-295
Wins 1/7 |  Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A
Wins 6/7 | |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ||
| Max speed (km/h) | 480 km/h | 850 km/h ✓ |
| Cruise speed (km/h) | N/A | 780 km/h |
| Range (km) | 5,400 km | 6,000 km ✓ |
| Service ceiling (m) | 9,144 m | 12,000 m ✓ |
| Physical | ||
| Length (m) | 24.5 m | 46.6 m |
| Empty weight (kg) | 11,200 kg | 88,500 kg |
| Combat weight (kg) | 23,200 kg | 210,000 kg |
| Crew | 3 | 5 |
| Cargo payload (kg) | 9,250 kg | 60,000 kg ✓ |
| Troop capacity | 71 | 126 ✓ |
| Propulsion | ||
| Thrust (kN) | N/A | 157 kN |
| Program | ||
| Unit cost (USD) | $40,000,000 | N/A |
| Units built | 285 | 960 ✓ |
| Operator countries | 40 ✓ | 15 |
Frequently asked questions
Which is faster, Airbus Defence and Space C-295 and Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A? +
The Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A is the fastest of the 2 compared here, at 850 km/h.
Which has the longer range? +
The Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A has the longest range at 6,000 km.
Which is cheaper? +
The Airbus Defence and Space C-295 has the lower public unit-cost figure at 40,000,000 USD. Treat this as directional, defense pricing varies by contract and configuration.
Which has the higher cargo payload? +
The Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A has the higher cargo payload at 60,000 kg.
Which has the higher service ceiling? +
The Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A has the higher service ceiling at 12,000 m.
Which has the higher troop capacity? +
The Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A has the higher troop capacity at 126.
Is the Airbus Defence and Space C-295 better than the Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A? +
On the public specs we track, the Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A leads on 6 of 6 headline metrics, see the full spec sheet for the metric-by-metric breakdown.
Where does this comparison data come from? +
Every figure in the table is sourced from public manufacturer pages, defense-ministry releases and reference publications, and is verifiable on each system's spec page. WeaponSpecs does not accept vendor placement.
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