The Russian-based Ilyushin Finance leasing company (IFC) is interested in continuing its work with the Antonov state enterprise, regardless of the military-political situation in Ukraine.
"They intend to and they are offering us more options for aircraft orders. Why is this advantageous to us? Because they make advance payment - money for purchase of materials and components," the Antonov state enterprise’s President/General Designer Dmytro Kiva said at a press conference on Friday, the CFTS correspondent reports.
As an example, Kiva said that construction of 10 aircraft requires immediate payment of about USD 150 million for the components. Speaking of cooperation with Russia in general, Kiva said that Antonov continues to provide technical support for the civilian aircraft operating in Russia - about 600 aircraft of various types. This includes deliveries under cooperation agreements: for example, the Antonov Serial Production Plant produces and sells wings for the An-148 aircraft.
However, according to him, new projects are not yet being considered. "Before the aggression in the Crimea, we prepared and initialed a contract worth USD 150 million for development of a transport aircraft based on the An-148 airplane. It is not the An-178, but it uses the same fuselage with the addition of a rear ramp," said Kiva. This cooperation was abandoned after the start of military operations, he added.
Kiva also noted that Russia has gradually been reducing its participation in joint projects over the past two years, including the project for the An-70 military transport aircraft, in the joint state tests for which representatives of the Russian Federation did not participate. Antonov is now holding talks on cooperation with countries such as Poland, Germany, and Saudi Arabia.
