Resuming production of An-124 Production

Heavy An-124 Ruslan transport aircraft are the mainstay of the Volga-Dnepr Group of Companies fleet and secure the Company’s edge on the market of cargo air transportation. In accordance with the long-term strategy based on the forecasts for future growth in demand for An-124 services and shortage of carrying capacities in the foreseeable future, the Group of Companies initiated restoration of An-124-100 production in a new upgraded version, and their promotion on the world market. In order to implement this strategic project, Volga-Dnepr plans to resume production of the aircraft at the Ulyanovsk-based Aviastar-SP plant in a collaborative effort with Antonov Aeronautical Scientific Technical Complex, the aircraft developer, and other stakeholders in Russia and Ukraine.

The new version of An-124 will be outfitted with the latest avionics, upgraded power units, and the payload capacity of up to 150 tonnes, as well as an extended flight range. Admittedly, the number of flight crew members will be reduced. Several new An-124 models are being designed currently. The first step in launching the project was the signing by the Russian and Ukrainian representatives of the Decision on Priority Measures to Resume Production and Phased-in Upgrading of An-124-100 Aircraft at Enterprises in the Russian Federation and Ukraine during the 6th International Air and Space air show MAKS-2003.

A working group including the participating parties was set up in 2004. It developed a business plan and outlined specific measures to resume production and upgrading of the aircraft. The work is planned to begin in 2006-2007. Fifteen new aircraft will be built during the first phase of the project. In order to obtain loans, government guarantees and budget financing, the agenda of the Intergovernmental Council headed by Presidents of Russia and Ukraine will include an item about signing the Intergovernmental Agreement for Resumption of the An-124 aircraft family serial production.

The resumption of An-124 production should resuscitate the Russian aircraft-building, significantly improve Russian and Ukrainian leading positions on the world market of unique cargo air transportation, expand the cooperation between the two countries during implementation of large-scale industrial projects, and establish conditions conducive to a new technological breakthrough in the civil aviation.

The joint Russian and Ukrainian meeting held in the Federal Agency for Industry on March 25 examined and approved the draft business plan for resumption of the serial production and phased-in upgrading of the An-124-100 aircraft at enterprises in Russia and Ukraine.

From the Russian side the meeting was attended by the following: Alexander Zelin, Deputy Air Force Commander-in-Chief, representatives of the Russian Ministry of Industry and Energy and the Russian Ministry of Transportation, as well as the General Director of ZAO Aviastar-SP Viktor Mikhailov, President of the Volga-Dnepr Group of Companies Alexey Isaikin, and Deputy General Director of AK Polyot Boris Naginsky. Ukraine was represented by the following at the meeting: Valery Ivaschenko, Head, Defense and Industrial Complex Administration; Pyotr Balabuyev, General Designer, Antonov Aeronautical Scientific Technical Complex; Gennady Sofrin, Deputy General Director, OAO Motor-Sich; Pavel Solovyev, Senior Designer, ZKMB Progress Design Bureau; as well as Alexander Baranov, KiGAZ Executive Director.

President of the Volga-Dnepr Group of Companies Alexey Isaikin noted the importance of focusing the financial and intellectual effort at the government level to attract requisite financing and set up an ordering system for the upgraded An-124-100 aircraft. Pyotr Balabuyev from Antonov Aeronautical Scientific Technical Complex emphasized that the “design bureau provides all kind of support for joint effort to resume serial production of An-124 aircraft”.

In the course of the five years to come, the market will demand a new upgraded Ruslan with a payload capacity of up to 150 tonnes, and the aircraft must also meet all ICAO requirements. Fifteen new aircraft will be built during the first phase of the project. In order to obtain foreign loans, government guarantees and budget financing, the agenda of the Intergovernmental Council headed by Presidents of Russian and Ukraine, Putin and Yuschenko, respectively, will include an item about signing the Intergovernmental Agreement for Resumption of the An-124 aircraft family serial production.

According to experts, the world market of air transportation using An-124-100 aircraft continually grows at an average rate of 15%-20% per year, and several dozen of Ruslan aircraft might be needed already by 2017. Given the obvious need for unique aircraft and objective possibility for a successful and efficient promotion of the aircraft on the world market, the Volga-Dnepr Group of Companies, which is the largest world An-124-100 operator in conjunction with the aircraft designer, Antonov Aeronautical Scientific Technical Complex, and other stakeholders in Russia and Ukraine ready themselves to resume the production at the Ulyanovsk-based aircraft-making plant Aviastar-SP.