Antonov’s Odyssey: AN-70 Program Taking Flight
Oct 11, 2011 14:11 EDT
(click to view full)
Antonov UAC JV; Other developments since 2009. (Oct 5/11)
Antonov’s AN-70 has had a long and difficult development history from its first studies and concepts in 1979, including the dissolution of its sponsoring state in 1991, the crash of the initial prototype aircraft in a 1995 collision with its chase plane, and the selection of the EADS A400M development project as the basis of Europe’s Future Large Aircraft (FLA). Antonov’s project has been kept alive on a shoestring budget by the participating companies, who believe that they have a winner on their hands if they can just bring it into production. The A400M’s struggles and cost escalation, and the C-130J’s 20-ton limitations, have validated that assessment – but assessments don’t meet payroll, or pay for equipment.
The FLA loss was indeed a bitter blow to a Ukrainian program that had already seen many setbacks. For many years, it even looked like the defeat might turn out to be fatal, consigning the AN-70 to “what if” status on par with Canada’s fabled CF-105 Avro Arrow fighter. Recent developments, 30 years after the project first began, look set to change that status…
- Team Antonov’s AN-70 [updated]
- Contracts & Key Events [updated]
- Additional Readings
Team Antonov’s AN-70
stereo optional
(click to view larger)
The AN-70 aims to offer A400M class operational performance or better, for about 40% less cost per aircraft. Total cargo weight is touted as 35-47 tonnes, and depending on the load carried, range is touted as 3,000 – 5,100 km at cruising speed of 700 – 750 km/h. If flown empty in ferry configuration, that range extends to 8,000 km. Redundant fly-by-wire controls and “glass cockpit” avionics, pioneered on the AN-124-100 Ruslan, have been added to the AN-70 as well. Its 14,000 shp Progress/Motor Sich D-27 turboprop engines use Aerosila’s CV-27 8+6 blade configuration of contra-rotating, reversible-pitch propellers, allowing STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) capabilities from unpaved runways only 600-800m long at a reduced 20t cargo weight. At full load, the aircraft can use 1550-1800 meter runways.
A spacious 15,000 sq. foot/ 425 sq. meter cargo area can be used to deliver up to 300 soldiers at absolute maximum capacity, or evacuate up to 200 or so casualties requiring minimal support. More likely scenarios would involve about 130-170 fully-equipped troops. Onboard loading equipment consists of 4 overhead rail electric motor hoists with a total cargo lifting capacity of 12 tonnes, and 2 onboard electric winches with 1.5 tonne traction. An easily removable upper deck and/or roller conveyers, can be added as options to simplify container handling.
(click to view full)
By comparison, the A400M will have a maximum capacity of 37 tonnes if it lives up to its full specifications, something that has become less probable due to airframe weight gains. The A400M’s range is also imperiled, though specifications give it about 3,300 km range at full payload. This would give the AN-70 an advantage of over 1,500 km at a similar load. Compared to the AN-70, the A400M is about 4.6 meters longer (45.1m vs. 40.55m), with a wingspan that’s 1.6 meters shorter (42.4m vs. 44.06m). A400M active cargo space is less tall (3.85m vs. 4.1m) and 0.9m shorter than the AN-70 (17.71m vs. 18.6m), though overall internal space is slightly longer (23.11m vs. 22.4m) due to a ramp that’s 1.6m longer.
Both aircraft significantly outclass the smaller C-130J Hercules, which is limited to a load of 21 tonnes. That’s an issue in an era where survivable armored vehicles tend to be at least 25 tonnes, and are often 30-35 tonnes. On the other hand, the C-130J’s flyaway price tag of $65-80 million/ EUR 56 million is less than either the A400M (EUR 120-140 million est.) or the intended cost of the AN-70 (at 40% less than the A400M, EUR 72-86 million).
While all 3 aircraft are considered to be medium tactical transports, new programs for 20t class transports (Embraer KC-390, Irkut/HAL MRTA) and the closure of the USA’s C-17 line, will leave the A400M and AN-70 turboprops, and the turbofan-powered IL-76MF, segmented in a different “medium-heavy” class of strategic transports.
The European FLA/A400M program has been criticized for its rejection of the AN-70, but there are always considerations beyond the base financials. Development of domestic aerospace industries and technologies, albeit at greater expense, is always a factor. Then there’s the longer-term market forecasts that saw the American C-17 program reaching its end, leaving a decade or 2 of dominance for a transport that could bridge the gap between strategic and tactical transport options. Who would produce it? Financing the development and refinement of a critical power projection tool that would be likely to see service with Russia is a project not to be undertaken lightly, especially if it means that Ukrainian and/or Russian firms would also be able to compete for future production business in a key aerospace segment.
If Russia manages to repair its growing image as an unreliable supplier of poor-quality equipment, AN-70 and IL-76 performance and cost could make them attractive competitors for a number of customers around the world. If not, the A400M will have carved a unique and valuable niche in the global market, and the AN-70 will be relegated to the sidelines.
Past AN-70 projections have involved around 60 aircraft for the Ukraine, and 160 or so for Russia. So far, only 5 aircraft have been ordered by the Ukraine, and it remains to be seen whether actual contracts come close to those past projections.
Contracts & Key Events
(click to view larger)
Oct 5/11: RIA Novosti:
“The Ukrainian Air Force will take delivery of three An-70 military transport aircraft… in the very near future,” [said Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhaylo Yezhel]. Asked whether Ukraine would be able to make An-70s without Russia, the minister said: “It’s already making them.” He stressed, however, that he did not mean series production and this was a question not for the Defense Ministry, but for the Antonov design bureau.”
May 12/11: A delegation from Russia’s UAC JS visits Antonov, and discusses several programs including the AN-70 and AN-124, but no agreements are signed.
April 19/11: Russian and Ukrainian defense ministers meet at Antonov:
“Discussing fulfillment of the joint programmes in a sphere of the military-transport aviation, they paid especial attention to the AN-70 STOL military-transport airplane and to the AN-124 heavy transport. In particular, A.E. Serdiukov said that the Ministry of Defense of Russian Federation plans to procure the AN-70 serial airplanes starting from 2015-16. The Russian Military department plans to order 60 AN-70s…. “We need this machine very much”, – emphasized he. During the nearest years it is also planned to complete modernization of the AN-124 and to start procurements of the new modernized “Ruslans” approximately from the 2015.”
Nov 21/10: The AN-70 is marketed at China’s 2010 air show, alongside the smaller AN-74 and various civil aircraft. Antonov.
Oct 27/10: UAC JV. Antonov and Russia’s United Aircraft Corp. sign a joint venture agreement in Kiev:
“The joint venture will be engaged in coordination of activity of enterprises of ANTONOV and UAC in directions of vendor items purchase, production, marketing and sales, as well as after-sale support and design of new modifications of ANTONOV aircraft. The list of programs to be realized by the JV includes: further development of AN-148 regional jet of a new generation, AN-70 STOL military transport, assumption of new versions of AN-124-100 RUSLAN freighter…. This agreement stipulates equal participation of the parties – 50:50 and does not mean handing over the participants’ assets and incorporeal rights.”
The 12-member board will be split 50/50 with the 2-year chairman terms rotated between Antonov and UAC representatives, with Antonov chairing first. The Director General and First Deputy will follow the same protocol, with the DG initially from UAC, and the deputy from Antonov ASTC. Antonov.
Aug 3/10: Flight International reports that Ukraine’s air force will receive its first 2 AN-70s in 2011 and 2012. Engine stand testing is complete, flight testing continues with the lone prototype aircraft, and all testing is scheduled to be done in 2012, including upgrades to a fully digital cockpit. The magazine adds that:
“In addition to the interest shown by the Ukrainian and Russian militaries, cargo specialist Volga-Dnepr has also recently signed a memorandum of understanding to acquire up to five commercial-standard An-70Ts.“
Aug 19/09: ANTONOV ASTC’s General Designer Dmytro Kiva discusses the AN-70 STOL’s program status during a conference at the MAKS 2009 airshow. The Joint State Test is nearing its final stages, and the AN-70 has confirmed its ability to use unpaved runways 600 m long and carry 20 tonnes of cargo over a distance of 3000 km.
The partners continue to work on refining the An-70 and its systems, while launching serial production of the initial batch of 5 airplanes, which were ordered in November 2005. Construction of the first 2 aircraft for the Ukrainian Air Force is to be complete in 2010-2011. Antonov.
Aug 18/09: Russia had bowed out of the AN-70 program in April 2006, but an agreement signed at the MAKS 2009 airshow seems to reverse that decision. Russia and Ukraine will continue joint work on the AN-70 STOL military transport and its modifications, including a civil version. Production cooperation will involve 2 state concerns: Russia’s United Aircraft Building Corporation JSC, and Ukrainian State Aircraft’s ANTONOV.
This modifies the June 24/93 “Agreement on further cooperation in design, joint serial production and delivery into operation of AN-70 operative-tactical military transport and AN-70T transport with D-27 engines between Government of Russian Federation and Government of Ukraine.” The parties will finance the joint works on development of AN-70 and its modifications from the national budget of Ukraine and federal budget of Russian Federation.
The agreement is significant, because the Ukraine’s expected demand level and budgets would make it difficult for the AN-70 to establish itself as a serious contender in the global marketplace. As resource price rebound with the global economy, the added Russian demand can be expected to give the AN-70 program the production volume and in-service foothold it needs. Antonov release | Defense News.
May 29/09: RIA Novosti quotes Lt. Gen. Viktor Kachalkin, commander of Russia’s 61st Air Army, as saying that Russia intends to step up buys of modern military transports beginning in 2012. Kachalkin specifically states that there is a need for the AN-70.
Feb 20/08: StrategyPage reports that Russia has reconsidered, and agreed to put up the needed $300 million to revive the An-70 transport aircraft development program.
April 5/06: Russia announces that it’s pulling out of the AN-70 partnership, in favor of the IL-76MF. BBC Russia [in Russian].
Additional Readings
- Antonov ASTC – AN-70
- The Aviation Zone – Antonov AN-70
- GlobalSecurity – AN-70
- CThomas – AN-70 Story
