Antonov has selected a Pratt & Whitney Canada tubroprop engine to power a demonstrator version of the An-132 transport currently in development for Saudi Arabia.
The PW150A engine will replace Ukrainian-made powerplants installed on the Cold War-era An-32, from which the An-132 is derived.
The An-132 will now carry the same engine as the Bombardier Q400.
“This is an exciting, high-potential programme for both Antonov and P&WC and we look forward to fully developing that potential,” says Richard Dussault, vice-president of marketing for P&WC.
Antonov estimates a market for selling as manny as 200 aircraft in the An-132 class between 2018 and 2025, says Aleksandr Kotsiuba, first vice-president of Antonov.
“We are reaching the new level of international partnership and quality of our aircraft,” Kotsiuba says. “The engine is the airplane’s heart, and we are confident in the reliability of the new Antonov transport.”
Saudia Arabia’s Taqnia Aeronautics signed an agreement in June with Antonov for the development and manufacturing of the updated An-132. The King Abdelaziz City of Science and Technology also is participating int eh programme.
The former An-32 with Progress AI-20DM turboprop engines carried payloads up to 7.5t, but the An-132 is designed to carry a maximum of 9.2t.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
