In 1953, the Plant started production of the IL-28 jet-powered frontline bomber designed by S. V. llyushin. Quick mastering of production of IL-28R and IL-28B aircrafts in Irkutsk was possible due to the reasonable and well thought-out constructional and technological decisions in the serial production process. This allowed an abrupt reduction in labour input required for the production of the aircraft notable for its simple technological layout. In total the Plant produced 459 aircrafts of this type, which featured high flight and technical characteristics. The possibility to arrange bomb loads inside the fuselage and on bomb racks externally, the fitting of the aircraft wifh cannons rendered the IL-28 an effective combat aircraft. This resulted in a considerable scope of deliveries to other countries. The aircraft was adopted by the Air Forces of Afghanistan, Algeria, Bulgaria, Viet-Nam, German Democratic Republic, Egypt, Iraq, North and South Yemen, China, North Korea, Nigeria, Poland, Romania, Somali, Czechoslovakia.

2000. December