{
  "id": "ii-38",
  "name": "II-38 (May)",
  "aliases": [],
  "domain": "air",
  "country": "RUS",
  "category": "Anti-submarine warfare aircraft",
  "status": null,
  "fielded": 1967,
  "operators": [
    "IND",
    "RUS",
    "UKR"
  ],
  "prolif_count": 3,
  "summary": "II-38 (May) Russian Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Aircraft is a maritime patrol aircraft and anti-submarine warfare aircraft designed in the Soviet Union. It was a development of the Ilyushin Il-18 turboprop transport.",
  "specs": [
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Manufacturer",
      "section": "system",
      "v": "Ilyushin OKB, Moscow, Russia",
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "crew",
      "v": 12,
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Hardpoints",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Internal bomb bay",
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "length_m",
      "v": 39.6,
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "height_m",
      "v": 10.16,
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "width_m",
      "v": 37.4,
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Wingspan"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Wing area",
      "section": "dims",
      "v": "140 sq m",
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "mass_kg",
      "v": 36000,
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Empty weight"
    },
    {
      "k": "mass_kg",
      "v": 63500,
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Max takeoff weight"
    },
    {
      "k": "engine_name",
      "v": "4 x Ivchenko AI-20M",
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Thrust / power",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "4,250 shaft hp each",
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "speed_kmh",
      "v": 720,
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "range_km",
      "v": 7200,
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Landing run",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "850 m",
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Endurance",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "13 hours",
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Surface / Search Radar",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "1 x Wet Eye surface search",
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Aircraft: asw suite",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Magnetic Anomaly Detector (MAD) System",
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Aircraft: sonobuoys",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "The Il-38 can carry and drop a variety of sonobuoys. These include up to 144 small RGB-1 radio beacons, 10 RGB-2 passive sonobuoys and 3 RBG-3 or RGB-16 sonobuoys with active/passive sonar.",
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Aircraft: torpedoes",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "450mm AT-1; 533mm AT-2; 400mm AT-3 Orlan (air launched UMGT-1); APR-1 Kondor rocket torpedo; APR-2 Yastreb rocket torpedo",
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Aircraft: mines",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "AMD-2",
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Aircraft: depth charges",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "PLAB-50; PLAB-250-120; PL-250-120",
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "armament",
      "v": "R-73 (AA-11 Archer)",
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    }
  ],
  "payloads": [
    {
      "name": "R-73 (AA-11 Archer)",
      "role": "Air-to-Air Missile",
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "caps": {
        "Type": "Air-to-Air Missile",
        "Guidance": "All-aspect infrared homing",
        "Speed": "Mach 2.5",
        "Length": "2.93 m"
      },
      "range_km": 30
    }
  ],
  "variants": [
    {
      "name": "Il-38",
      "text": "Production aircraft",
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Il-38M",
      "text": "Modified with a receiver probe as part of a probe and drogue air refueling system. System not adopted.",
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Il-38MZ",
      "text": "Tanker variant of the Il-38. Prototype only",
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Il-38N",
      "text": "This is an upgraded variant that is fitted with the Novella sensor system; see main entry. Improved variant sometimes referred to as Il-38SD for Sea Dragon, which is a new search and tracking system.",
      "src": [
        "weg-ii-38"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "art": "fighter",
  "image": null,
  "verified": null,
  "changelog": [
    {
      "date": "2026-10-10",
      "change": "Entry created from the Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN), bulk import"
    }
  ],
  "url": "https://www.defensepedia.com/systems/ii-38.html",
  "sources": {
    "weg-ii-38": {
      "title": "II-38 (May) Russian Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Aircraft",
      "publisher": "U.S. Army TRADOC G-2 Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)",
      "url": "https://odin.t2com.army.mil/WEG/Asset/II-38_May_Russian_Anti-Submarine_Warfare_ASW_Aircraft",
      "published": "2026-03-20",
      "tier": 1,
      "checked": "2026-10-10"
    }
  }
}