Although its record is extensive and international as a cargo and personnel carrier, this Ilyushin-76 aircraft is a relatively fresh retrofit as a multi-purpose emergency response aircraft.

For forest fire fighting and population protection in radialogical emergencies, its experience record really only began in 1994 when it took village populations out of harm's way from a life-threatening munitions dump fire and was first deployed on forest fires. Only five regular duty (5) drops were performed that first year.

Its first prototype manufactured in 1989, the VAP-2 tank system has undergone continuous improvement and size upgrades to reach its present configuration.

Regular forest fire season deployments began in Russia only after that 1994 test season, when budget changes allowed for greater use of the IL-76. Russian/CIS missions now number in the scores, including a particularly well-covered and spectacular refinery blaze where two IL-76s were deployed.

In August, 1998, EMERCOM's Ilyushin-76 participated with firefighters from 5 different countries in dealing with Greece's worst fire season in a century. Brought in when huge blazes were unable to be contained with other equipment, fires close to a village in Aitoloakarnania, in western Greece, and near Marathon Lake, close to Athens, saving precious forest quickly under control.

Other relief missions flown include work in North Africa, Afghanistan and to the former Yugoslavia for the United Nations.

As the Ilyushin-76TD (MD) meets 21st Century demand for better, more strategically capable fire fighting, and more efficiently responsive and humane emergency call-outs, regional insurance programs for natural disasters will allow the aircraft to achieve its full potential.

The North American proponents have a globally capable organization and technological capabilities. Utilizing these capabilities in combination with disaster preparedness and response experiences shared by host jurisdiction agencies and Russian EMERCOM IL-76 crews, a powerful dynamic can be achieved that can be very helpful in improving global emergency management and disaster response.