An interesting career for this mighty classic. Starting operational life in 1987 as a Soviet Air Force machine (in Aeroflot livery), it arrived at supporting F-16s that are partly ex USAF jets, during a NATO exercise. In the mid-1990s it had a civil job as well, as UR-76730 without refuelling equipment. With the Pakistan Air Force since 2010.

R10-002 supported the six PAF F-16A/B's participating in exercise Anatolian Eagle 2022. Pakistan operates four IL-78MP in the MRTT version. Based at Nur Khan (OPRN) / Islamabad International Airport and operated by Squadron 10 "Buffaloes", they are serialled R09-001, R10-002, R11-003 and R11-004. When operating as tanker, they carry a total of three refueling pods, one under each wing and the 3rd on the rear left side of the fuselage, unfortunately not visible on this picture. R11-003 was upgraded in Ukraine and re-delivered to the PAF in early February 2022, just prior to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

This has been coming to BWI on occasion, along with C-130s.