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An-70 passes Ukraine state tests
The An-70 transport aircraft has passed all state tests and is ready for serial production, Antonov has stated. However, when or if an order may be placed for the aircraft remains to be seen. Source: IHS/Patrick Allen
The Ukrainian-designed Antonov An-70 propfan tactical transport plane has passed state acceptance trials and is finally ready to enter series production, Antonov said on 11 April.
That might be a cause for celebration in the course of most military equipment programmes, particularly one that has been as tortuous and drawn-out as that of the An-70. The event, however, comes against a background of unprecedented political tension between Moscow and Kiev and uncertainty about the future of their joint military industrial co-operation that could yet see the aircraft consigned to history.
"The final stage of state flight testing has been completed in a programme consisting of 82 flights, undertaken by a flight crew and engineering team from the Ukrainian Armed Forces scientific test centre together with Antonov specialists," Antonov said, according to Russian news agencies.
"The aircraft is recommended for acceptance into the armed forces and also for serial production," Antonov said.
"In total, after completion of modifications in September 2012, in the period to 31 March 2014, the aircraft carried out 122 flights totalling 220 hours. In the course of ground and flight testing in the final state acceptance trials, the aircraft showed it met the parameters required by the customer."
That included short take-off and landings, accuracy of navigation equipment, systems reliability, and ability to carry various cargo configurations, Antonov said.
If the aircraft is ready, however, the intended customers are unlikely to be placing orders any time soon.
Russia has been involved with the programme since its inception in the Soviet-era, and has maintained intermittent involvement since Ukraine became independent. Interest from Moscow has waned in recent years, with the Russian Air Force openly sceptical about the aircraft, particularly in relation to its engine problems. In April 2013, Antonov's director Dmitro Khiva admitted the Russians had withdrawn from involvement in the test programme in November 2012 because of frustration at its slow progress.
The situation is compounded at present by the unprecedented political tension between the two states following the ousting of President Viktor Yanukovych earlier this year and Russia's annexation of Crimea. Some politicians in Kiev have indicated that further co-operation between the two states on military procurement is unthinkable while Moscow appears to be on the brink of further military intervention there.
Russia would also be unlikely to want to procure an aircraft partly built in a Ukraine aspiring for NATO or EU membership. Another significant problem for Ukraine would be funding for the aircraft. While Russia has a stated requirement for around 60 aircraft to replace its ageing An-12 fleet, Ukraine has previously said it was ready to buy just a handful (between three and five according to local media - it has a requirement for considerably more).
That, however, was before the country's economy collapsed. Kiev is currently on the edge of bankruptcy, and is trying to get a deal from the International Monetary Fund to stave off a default. International lenders are unlikely to approve major defence equipment expenditure in such a climate.
Even "going it alone" on the programme would be problematic for Ukraine. Production of the aircraft was scheduled to take place at a series of Russian and Ukrainian enterprises including Russia's KAPO and VASO factories, which would have built components and assembled complete aircraft (at KAPO) from Antonov-made parts.
Last year, Ukraine's then Prime Minister Mykola Azarov insisted Kiev could go it alone to build the plane, but clearly switching production and sourcing new suppliers at such a late stage would be a considerable burden.
Some commercial heavy cargo operators such as Volga Dnepr have previously expressed an interest in a civil variant of the type designated An-70T, but series production is all but unthinkable without a major military customer from one of the developer nations.
==========================================================
If we could manage to arrange some funds ........
The An-70 transport aircraft has passed all state tests and is ready for serial production, Antonov has stated. However, when or if an order may be placed for the aircraft remains to be seen. Source: IHS/Patrick Allen
The Ukrainian-designed Antonov An-70 propfan tactical transport plane has passed state acceptance trials and is finally ready to enter series production, Antonov said on 11 April.
That might be a cause for celebration in the course of most military equipment programmes, particularly one that has been as tortuous and drawn-out as that of the An-70. The event, however, comes against a background of unprecedented political tension between Moscow and Kiev and uncertainty about the future of their joint military industrial co-operation that could yet see the aircraft consigned to history.
"The final stage of state flight testing has been completed in a programme consisting of 82 flights, undertaken by a flight crew and engineering team from the Ukrainian Armed Forces scientific test centre together with Antonov specialists," Antonov said, according to Russian news agencies.
"The aircraft is recommended for acceptance into the armed forces and also for serial production," Antonov said.
"In total, after completion of modifications in September 2012, in the period to 31 March 2014, the aircraft carried out 122 flights totalling 220 hours. In the course of ground and flight testing in the final state acceptance trials, the aircraft showed it met the parameters required by the customer."
That included short take-off and landings, accuracy of navigation equipment, systems reliability, and ability to carry various cargo configurations, Antonov said.
If the aircraft is ready, however, the intended customers are unlikely to be placing orders any time soon.
Russia has been involved with the programme since its inception in the Soviet-era, and has maintained intermittent involvement since Ukraine became independent. Interest from Moscow has waned in recent years, with the Russian Air Force openly sceptical about the aircraft, particularly in relation to its engine problems. In April 2013, Antonov's director Dmitro Khiva admitted the Russians had withdrawn from involvement in the test programme in November 2012 because of frustration at its slow progress.
The situation is compounded at present by the unprecedented political tension between the two states following the ousting of President Viktor Yanukovych earlier this year and Russia's annexation of Crimea. Some politicians in Kiev have indicated that further co-operation between the two states on military procurement is unthinkable while Moscow appears to be on the brink of further military intervention there.
Russia would also be unlikely to want to procure an aircraft partly built in a Ukraine aspiring for NATO or EU membership. Another significant problem for Ukraine would be funding for the aircraft. While Russia has a stated requirement for around 60 aircraft to replace its ageing An-12 fleet, Ukraine has previously said it was ready to buy just a handful (between three and five according to local media - it has a requirement for considerably more).
That, however, was before the country's economy collapsed. Kiev is currently on the edge of bankruptcy, and is trying to get a deal from the International Monetary Fund to stave off a default. International lenders are unlikely to approve major defence equipment expenditure in such a climate.
Even "going it alone" on the programme would be problematic for Ukraine. Production of the aircraft was scheduled to take place at a series of Russian and Ukrainian enterprises including Russia's KAPO and VASO factories, which would have built components and assembled complete aircraft (at KAPO) from Antonov-made parts.
Last year, Ukraine's then Prime Minister Mykola Azarov insisted Kiev could go it alone to build the plane, but clearly switching production and sourcing new suppliers at such a late stage would be a considerable burden.
Some commercial heavy cargo operators such as Volga Dnepr have previously expressed an interest in a civil variant of the type designated An-70T, but series production is all but unthinkable without a major military customer from one of the developer nations.
==========================================================
If we could manage to arrange some funds ........
