Ukraine and Russia are to restart series production of the An-124 super-heavy transport aircraft, following the signing of an agreement between the two nations' industry ministries. Russia's Federal Industry Agency head Boris Alyoshin and Valery Kazakov, Ukrainian first deputy minister for industrial policy, signed the deal, under which up to 80 updated An-124-100Ms will be manufactured from 2006 to 2020. "The conference discussed production, jointly with Ukraine, of updated An-124-100Ms with an increased load-carrying capacity up to 150t, extended service life of 24,000 flight hours, a three-crew cockpit instead of four, a new avionics suite and more powerful engines," says the aircraft's Russian manufacturer, ZAO Aviastar. Aviastar will manufacture most of the aircraft, but the Aviant factory in Kiev will make tail units.
HOWARD GETHIN / MOSCOW
Source: Flight International
