The IL-20M remains the main star of Russia’s airborne electronic intelligence capabilities.
An escalating competition of mid-air interceptions has been ongoing for the last several months over the Baltic Sea between the French and Russian air forces. Most recently, a French Rafale fighter intercepted two Russian planes, an IL-78 military transport tanker and an IL-20M reconnaissance aircraft.
The presence of the IL-20M in the Baltic is an interesting development, as it indicates that the Russians might have been snooping on NATO elements in nearby nations along the Baltic Sea.
The Story of the IL-20M
The Ilyushin IL-20 is a Soviet-era reconnaissance aircraft derived from the IL-18 turboprop airliner. Designed for signals intelligence (SIGINT), the Russian bird has the capability to intercept radio communications, detect radar emissions, and scan for other electronic signals, making it a significant player for gathering actionable battlefield and strategic intelligence. It was first spotted by NATO in 1978, and remains an important component of Russia’s air force.
Beginning in the late 1960s, the Soviet Union built the IL-20 as a dedicated electronic intelligence (ELINT) platform. The first IL-20 prototypes flew on March 21, 1968. Testing on the bird was finished a year later. Production of the plane ran until 1974 at Moscow’s Znamy Truda plant. Unlike typical reconnaissance units, IL-20s were attached directly to fleet or district headquarters, emphasizing their role in centralized intelligence operations.
Russia’s IL-20M is lighter than the civilian IL-18 upon which it is modeled. The plane’s lightweight compared to the civilian variant was meant to optimize endurance over payload.
Four Ivchenko AI-20M turboprops give the plane a maximum speed of over 400 miles per hour and a range of up to 3,355 miles. The plane has a low-wing design and a T-tail.
The IL-20M’s Capabilities
As for the plane’s sensors and equipment—the important parts of the plane from a military point of view—it possesses an Igla-1 SLAR (side-looking airborne radar) in a cigar-shaped pod under the fuselage for mapping and radar imaging. Additionally, an A-87P camera is mounted in a side fuselage housing for optical reconnaissance. Specific systems related to the important ELINT mission of the plane include the Vischnia, SRS-4 Romb, and Kwadrat-2 for intercepting and analyzing electronic signals.
Multiple arrays line the plane, including two large dorsal ones for satellite communication, enabling real-time data relay.
An IL-20M carries five flight crew plus six systems operators in the cabin, managing the onboard intelligence complex. The cabin features operator stations, a lounge with basic amenities (seats, wardrobe, buffet, toilet), but no windows, prioritizing equipment over comfort.
These lumbering sky giants were built for long-range SIGINT missions. They can locate enemy radar, eavesdrop on enemy communications, penetrate other enemy electronic systems, and build what’s known as an electronic order of battle for the Russian Armed Forces. The plane’s incredible range—over 3,000 miles—allows for extended loitering of up to 12 hours over any given area, which is ideal for monitoring borders, maritime zones, and conflict areas. Meanwhile, real-time satellite uplinks make it a flying command post, relaying data to ground stations instantly.
One of the more interesting upgrades to this Russian aerial workhorse has been the addition of optical-electronic systems to support targeting for the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic missile.
Russia Wants to Keep the IL-20M Relevant
Thus, Moscow continues ensuring that this aging platform will be relevant going forward—saving Russian taxpayers money by keeping older systems current, rather than wastefully retiring them and spending money on building entirely new platforms.
Although the Tu-214R supplements the IL-20M’s role in certain mission sets, the IL-20M remains the main star of Russia’s airborne ELINT capabilities. This is likely why NATO found the presence of one of these beasts right next to one of its constituent nations so disturbing.
In all probability, though, the presence of the IL-20M was less about provoking France and NATO, and more about checking on the disposition of NATO forces—even as Russia continues to make gains in the Ukraine War.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert, a Senior National Security Editor at The National Interest as well as a contributor at Popular Mechanics, who consults regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including the Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, the Asia Times, and countless others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter@WeTheBrandon.
Image: Shutterstock / fasttailwind.