The group working to resume production of the Antonov An-124 Ruslan aims to finalise the business plan by next month, writes Vladimir Karnozov.
The governments of Russia and Ukraine reached agreement last month for production of the outsize freighter to be resumed, and will hold a new round of talks in December (Flight International, 7-13 September).
By then, design bureau Antonov and participating airlines Polet and Volga-Dnepr will finalise plans for resuming production at the Aviastar plant in Ulyanovosk. It is envisaged that 80 An-124s will be manufactured between 2006 and 2020 - more than doubling the numbers of the four-engined freighter.
Antonov proposes to base the new model on the latest An-124-100M, dubbed the An-124-100M-150, which has a 30t increase in payload to 150t. The aircraft also has a new braking system, which provides greater deceleration and incorporates automatic lift-dump on touchdown, which Antonov hopes will reduce landing roll by 400-500m (1,310-1,640ft).
The development of a stretched An-124 derivative, the "-300", is proposed as a next-generation model. This would need a complete redesign over the next three or four years, would involve a longer fuselage and strengthened centre section, a larger wing and 80,000lb thrust (356kN) class engines.
Source: Flight International
