Antonov Company, which included into Ukroboronprom SC, completed assembly of a fuselage of the first of three AN-178 ordered by Ukrainian Ministry of Defence (МініÑтерÑтво оборони України). Nowadays, the wing, tail unit, systems and details for airframe of this Antonov AN-178 are constructed at ANTONOV’s production facility. Completion of the airframe assembly is scheduled for the end of this year. Production of details and aggregates for the second and third airplanes is in progress. The proper contract was signed on December 29, 2020.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence has signed a memorandum with Antonov State Enterprise to procure An-178 medium transport aircraft. The first order represents Ukraine’s first such procurement since the country gained independence in 1991. The delivery of the first serial aircraft will be performed after the completion of certification tests and obtaining a type certificate for the An-178-100R aircraft and is planned for 2023. The event took place on December 29, 2020.
The Antonov An-178 (Ukrainian: Ðнтонов Ðн-178) is a short-range medium-airlift military transport aircraft designed by the Ukrainian Antonov company and based on the Antonov An-158 (An-148-200). It was announced on 5 February 2010, rolled out on 16 April 2015 and the maiden flight was on 7 May 2015. The An-178 is proposed to replace outdated aircraft like the An-12, An-26 and An-32. The aircraft will have an avionics suite similar to the An-148, and will use Progress D-436-148FM engines.
The An-178 is a potential competitor for the Alenia C-27J Spartan from Italy, EADS CASA C-295 from Spain, Lockheed Martin C-130J from the United States, Embraer KC-390 from Brazil and the Ilyushin Il-276 from Russia. An-178 is a high-wing transport aircraft with moderately swept wing, winglets and a T-tail. The airframe is made of aluminium alloys and composite materials. The fuselage is semi-monocoque with a circular cross-section. The retractable landing gear consists of two main wheel bogies and a dual nose wheel.
