AN-124 ‘RUSLAN’ HEAVY-DUTY FREIGHTER. Media Backgrounder

The AN-124 ‘Ruslan’ heavy-duty transport aircraft was designed by Antonov Design Bureau in the mid 1970s. It offers a 120-tonne payload, has a cruising speed of 750-800 km/h, a maximum range ability of 15,000 km and maximum take-off weight of 392 tons. The jet has held 27 world records, including a 170-tonne load airlift to the altitude of 10,750 meters (in 1985); a flight range record when it covered a distance of 20,151 km for 25.5 hours without refueling and landing (in 1987); and a round-the-world flight at the average speed of 680 km/h (in 1990).

Before 1988, the aircraft’s production had been for the Ministry of Defense of the USSR by the Ulyanovsk Aviation Production Plant, named after Ustinov (which is currently bearing a name of Aviastar-SP) and by the Kiev State Aviation Plant (Aviant).

After the reduction of the state defense orders for AN-124s, the freighter was put into service by Volga-Dnepr Airlines, founded in Ulyanovsk’s in 1991. The aircraft’s outstanding performance characteristics – a huge payload, the ability to carry heavyweight single-piece loads, a spacious cargo cabin and high level of operational self sufficiency with its on-board loading equipment and ramp – has enabled the AN-124-100, a commercial version of the AN-124 transport military aircraft, to secure the undisputed leadership of the worldwide outsize and heavyweight cargo market.

In total, fifty-six AN-124-100 ‘Ruslan’ aircraft have been manufactured. Volga-Dnepr Group, operating 10 freighters of the type (nearly 50% of the world’s current commercial AN-124-100 fleet), is the largest AN-124-100 carrier. Among the other major AN-124-100 operators are Ukraine’s Antonov Airlines (7 AN-124-100s) and Russia’s Polet Cargo Airlines (7 aircraft). Libya and the UAE also operate 2 and 1 AN-124-100s respectively.

Today, Ulyanovsk’s Aviastar-SP is busy with just unitary (not serial) assembling of AN-124-100s. Currently, there are two ways to expand AN-124 commercial fleets: modernization of military versions of the jet and completion of ex-Soviet airframes stored at Aviastar. However, on May 24th 2004, Volga-Dnepr took delivery of a new AN-124-100 aircraft that has been built using the last residuary Aviastar airframe. The aircraft’s production was financed by a US$29.9 million loan received from the International Finance Corporation.

At the same time, the AN-124-100 transportation market keeps on growing at a year-on-year rate of 15-20 per cent. According to analysts, several dozens of new Ruslan aircraft will be required to meet market demand by 2017.

To meet this future market demand for the aircraft, a strategic goal has been set to resume production of the AN-124-100 and to promote the aircraft type to the global market. To realise this ambitious project, Volga-Dnepr Group and Antonov Design Bureau, as well as other interested parties in Russia and the Ukraine, plan to revive aircraft production at Aviastar-SP.

The new project was launched at the Moscow Aerospace Show in 2003. Then, Volga-Dnepr and Antonov Design Bureau came to an agreement to move forward with the AN-124-100 production revival program, as well as to design and build a new upgraded version of the aircraft – the AN-124-100M - for the global market. Russian and Ukrainian parties including Rosaviakosmos, Interstate Aviation Committee, Russia’s Civil Aviation Authority, Volga-Dnepr Group, Antonov Design Bureau, the Ukrainian Aviation Authority, Russia’s Ministry of Industry and Science signed all the corresponding papers. Signing of an inter-governmental agreement between Russia and the Ukraine will be the next step towards the project realisation.

The AN-124-100M will be equipped with modern, sophisticated avionics and upgraded engines. The jet will offer an improved payload of up to 150 tons and an increased flight range. The aircraft is also expected to require a smaller crew.

If successful, with program approval from Russia and the Ukraine, as well as setting up of a working group to prepare the necessary business case, production of the new aircraft could begin as early as 2006-07.

According to some project participants, the revival will lead to an increased activity in the Russian aircraft manufacturing sector, contribute to Russia’s and Ukraine’s leadership in the global outsize and heavyweight air cargo market, strengthen co-operation between Russia and the Ukraine and create a foundation for further technological breakthroughs in the civil aviation field.

The resumption of AN-124 production, along with the IL-76 modernisation programme that is already being implemented, may become one of the most ambitious and promising tasks for the Russian industry within the next few years.