Fresh Il-78 tanker photo revives talk of Russian sale to China

A photo of what is said to be a brand-new Il-78 aerial refueling tanker, freshly painted dark gray, has appeared online, and a marking on its tail that resembles part of the Chinese air force insignia has revived speculation that Russia is building the tankers for China.

The image was shared on the Sino Defence Forum by a user known as ACuriousPLAFan, who wrote that the aircraft was seen leaving the factory in early October.

“Said to be a brand-new Il-78 mid-air refueling tanker, spotted rolling out of the factory floor sometime in early October,” wrote ACuriousPLAFan.

Neither Russia nor China has commented on the photo, and the aircraft’s customer has not been confirmed. The tail element is only partly visible, and observers have pointed to its resemblance to the People’s Liberation Army Air Force insignia rather than to a full, readable marking.

“So maybe indeed that rumoured contract was real and was not cancelled?” wrote military aviation analyst Andreas Rupprecht on X.

Other forum users suggested the aircraft could be the result of an older order that is only now being delivered. One wrote that, given the Chinese air force’s need for tankers even as it receives new Y-20B aircraft, it was plausible Beijing chose to take the jets instead of canceling the deal.

The contract Rupprecht referred to surfaced in October 2025, when aviation analyst Piotr Butowski cited a leaked document indicating that China was negotiating the purchase of 20 Il-78MK-90A tankers, the export version of Russia’s newest tanker, with deliveries discussed for 2027 and 2028. Neither government confirmed the deal.

The Il-78MK-90A is built by Aviastar-SP in Ulyanovsk on the airframe of the modernized Il-76MD-90A transport. It can refuel one heavy aircraft or two fighters at a time in flight. In August, footage emerged of a new Il-78MK-90A rolling out in export configuration, and reports at the time pointed to Algeria, which has reportedly signed for three tankers with an option for three more, as the likely customer.

China already flies a small number of Il-78s. Beijing ordered four Il-78s along with 34 Il-76 transports from Russia in 2005, but that deal stalled because Russia could not build the aircraft. China instead bought three refurbished Il-78s from Ukraine in 2011, which were delivered between 2014 and 2016.

Since then, the Chinese air force has built up its own tanker fleet based on the Y-20 heavy transport. The IISS Military Balance 2026 lists about 30 YY-20A tankers and 10 of the re-engined YY-20B.

The photo does not show a serial number or clear national markings, and it remains unclear whether the aircraft is the first of a Chinese order, an export tanker for another customer, or a jet for the Russian Aerospace Forces.