Antonov Company has completed jig assembly of the AN-178 airframe (series No. 006) intended for delivery under the contract between Spetstechnoexport Company and Ministry of Interior of Republic of Peru. On August 21, the aircraft was presented to the Ukrainian mass media by Oleksandr Los, President of Antonov Company. He accompanied participants of the press conference in the assembly shop. He told about the reached results on the AN-178 construction and expressed thanks to Antonov’s team for such high-skilled and selfless works.
Antonov Company has completed design works on replacement of Russian-made vendor items by Ukrainian and Western analogues, issued design documentation at its own expense. Antonov Company has production facility and skilled employees to perform these works in the fixed terms under conditions of proper fulfilment of obligations by the contractors as for payment. According to President of Antonov Company, term of the Contract execution is year of 2021. All the works on the aircraft modernization and new the equipment mounting are performed according to the approved schedule.
Until present production of five series AN-178s. Aircraft operators from Turkey, countries of Asia and Latin America expressed their interest in use of such airplanes. In Ukraine, the aircraft will be operated by Ministry of Internal Affairs. Negotiations about delivery of the airplanes to MoD of Ukraine is in progress. It’s emblematic, that this considerable stage of construction of the series AN-178 (006) was completed on the eve of the 29th Independence Day of Ukraine. The AN-178 medium transport aircraft was created on the basis of Antonov’s vast experience in development of the transport aircraft in combination with the most innovative technologies.
The AN-178 has to replace the AN-12 transports of the preceding generation in the market. Let’s remind that during these years, Antonov Company created the whole rate of new airplanes including: light multipurpose AN-38, regional passenger turboprop AN-140, military STOL transport AN-70, regional passenger jets AN-148, AN-158, aircraft demonstrator AN-132D. New versions of AN-74 and AN-32 aircraft were constructed. AN-225 was upgraded and entered into commercial operations. Antonov Airlines occupied a niche on the market of cargo airlift. AN-178 performed its maiden flight on May 15, 2020.
The AN-178 airframe and onboard equipment are 50-60% unified with the AN-148 and AN-158 aircraft. D-436-148FM jet engines installed on the AN-178 are the further development of the power plant used on the AN-148 and AN-158. The AN-178 with a cargo door and a ramp in the tail section is intended for delivery of personnel, weaponry and light military vehicles, for transportation of material assets, mail and other cargoes in bulk, containerized and palletized freights. The maximum payload is 18 tons. In emergency situations the AN-178 is able to evacuate civilians from disaster areas, casualties at standard stretchers and airdropping of paratroop rescue teams.
The AN-178 was appreciated by aviation society at the biggest air shows in France, Great Britain, Germany, Turkey, UAE. The AN-178 can be operated from/to both unpaved runways and those with artificial pavement. The airplane allows flying by day and night under normal and adverse meteorological conditions. The unique feature of the AN-178 is ability to carry all the types of the existing packaged freights (containerized and palletized ones). This makes it an indispensable transport to provide logistic support in commercial operation and in operations under emergency situations.
