IL-76 cargo plane from Equatorial Guinea dictatorship visits Belgrade. For weapons?

An IL-76 cargo plane, registered 3C-TM06(hex 152A9E) landed on the morning of December 19, 2022 at an Serbian airforce base near Belgrade. The aircraft disappeared from the Flightradar screen shortly before landing. Possibly the crew switched off the transponder to hide its final destination.

The aircraft can be tracked on Flightradar here.

Since December 19 the aircraft flew to Belgrade again twice. Also a Boieng 767 registered 3C-MAG operated by Ceiba Intercontinental flew to Belgrade international airport.

The Batajnica Air Base near Belgrade was recently visited by an Egypt Air Force IL-76 and an unknown other IL-76. Dutch plane tracker Gerjon_ found out. Serbia had a large weapon industry.

The Russian built Il-76 is operating for the Fuerza Aérea de Guinea Ecuatorial (FAGE, Equatorial Guinea Air Force) as can be seen by the FAGE letters on the tail. Former registrations are 3C-6GE and RA-76446.

Equatorial Guinea’s government is authoritarian and has one of the worst human rights records in the world, consistently ranking among the “worst of the worst” in Freedom House’s annual survey of political and civil rights.

Overview of visits by 3C-TM06 IL-76 to Belgrade

Arrival December 19- departure December 20

Arrival December 23- departure December 24

Arrival December 26 – departure ?

Boeing 767 3C-MAG arrived December 23- Departed December 24

Despite a poort country the president flies in a Boeing 777 aircraft. Two other aircraft in the fleet of the government are a Boeing 737 BBJ and an ERJ-135.

3C-MAF is another IL-76 cargo aircraft flying in Equatorial Guinea. This is a Il-76TD-90VD. The aircraft was first spotted early May 2022. The aircraft has EGR Cargo titles. The hex code is 0428DA . The aircraft was seen at Malabo wearing registration UP-l7655 registration.

Both IL-76s seems to favour places like Tunis, Istanbul and Rabat. The aircraft are rarely seen anywhere outside Africa.