The Antonov state aircraft manufacturing enterprise intends to resume assembly of the An-124 "Ruslan" heavy transport aircraft.
The Ukroboronprom state defense concern’s First Deputy General Director Serhii Omelchenko told the Direct television channel that assembly of the first aircraft could begin before the end of 2019, the CFTS portal reports.
"We are actively cooperating with several international aircraft manufacturing companies in this direction. We are already at the final stage of complete reworking of this transport aircraft’s entire electronic component. We are hoping that it will be finalized by the Antonov state enterprise’s engineering and design team this year so that assembling of the first aircraft can begin soon," said Omelchenko.
In this case, he stressed, the aircraft will be assembled without the use of Russian components.
The An-124 Ruslan (NATO reporting name Condor) is a heavy long-haul transport aircraft developed by Antonov. It performed its maiden flight on December 24, 1982.
In July last year, it was reported that the Antonov state aircraft manufacturing plant and Aviall Services, Inc., which is a division of the Boeing Company, had signed a General Terms Agreement on cooperation on production of aircraft of the "An" family. Under this agreement, Aviall Services, Inc. will purchase and supply to the Antonov state enterprise a wide range of components for serial production of these aircraft and provide after-sales support.
As the CFTS portal reported in autumn 2018, the Antonov state aircraft manufacturing enterprise’s net profit increased 29.5-fold in the first nine months of 2018 (based on the Ukrainian accounting standards).
