Russian and Ukrainian orders for 129 An-70s expected imminently

Published: 11/24/1999

The Russian-Ukrainian consortium Medium Transport Aircraft has announced that the Russian government is close to completing a decree ordering 164 An-70s for the Russian Air Force (RusAF). A similar Decree, involving an estimated 65 aircraft, is being prepared by the Ukrainian government. The first delivery to RusAF is planned for 2003, from the Aviastar factory in Samara, with the final delivery scheduled for 2011. Aircraft for the Ukrainian Air Force (UkrAF) will be built at the KiGAZ factory in Kiev. Wing sections will be supplied by TAPO factory in Uzbeki capital,Tashkent. Both Aviakor and KiGAZ have the capacity to built 30-35 An-70s a year, but MTA considers that such a high rate of production to be unlikely. Production lines are being set up on the basis of bank loans. It is intended that the credits will be paid off from the payments for ready-to-use aircraft. MTA claims that, this year, the An-70 project has budgetary funding from both Russian and Ukrainian state budgets, and that this has been forthcoming. While the level of funding was not specified, it was said to be "relatively small". The FY2000 may prove much better for the An-70, in terms of budgetary funding, with a promised 400% increase over 1999. To date, the only flying An-70 prototype (whose construction was 93% funded by MTA's own resources) has covered 90% of its flight test programme. It is currently being assessed by the state bodies and Western European industrialists. In the event that the An-7X, a westernized version of the An-70, wins the Western European tender, the volume of orders is expected to be between 180 and 200 units, including 75 for Germany, 50 for France and 44 for Italy. The latter event however, it is judged to be unlikely by most competitors, although recent comments from the French particularly, have suggested a potential role for Antonov in the Airbus A-400M programme, suggesting that the An-70 has rattle a few complacent European cages. The winner of the tender will be named by the end of 2000. If the An-7X is chosen, Western Europe will be asked to pay $800m, to cover its part of the aircraft development costs (estimated at $3 billion). MTA is discussing terms with Germany's AirTruck consortium on shares in An-7X production. The final assembly line might be set up in Germany, either at Dornier Fairchild or ASL (Aircraft Services of Leinverden). By the end of December, the joint working group of MTA and AirTruck will prepare a "full specification" for the An-7X. According to Antonov General Designer, Pyotr Balabuyev, the An-7X will have a western-type in-flight refuelling equipment and a more sophisticated avionics suite, so reducing the crew to three (and maybe two) people. Western European components that will be used in the An-7X are said to include German computers and FADEC (full-authority digital engine control) systems for the Progress D-27 engines. At the request of its Western European partners, MTA has agreed not to involve "non-European" investors and manufacturers in the project, until the tender is finalised. MTA insists that "the An-70 will enter production whatsoever", irrespective of the tender's results.It forecasts a market for the An-70-class aircraft of 627 units, out of which 30% are required by 2008. By that time, the A400M will still not be available, and the market will be divided between the C-17,C-130J and An-70. The Russian-Ukrainian aircraft is likely to win orders from nations already operating Soviet aircraft, including India and some Middle Eastern countries, particularly given the response of the evaluation authorities in Western Europe to the aircraft.

Article ID: 1127