Russia, Ukraine to make huge An-124 planes
MOSCOW, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Russia and Ukraine will jointly resume production of the Antonov An-124 cargo jet, the largest aircraft ever mass produced, a consortium said Tuesday.
Russia's Volga-Dnepr consortium and Ukraine's Motor Sich have formed Flying Cargo Vehicles as a joint venture to make the An-124, whose production was halted in the early 1990s, the Russian Information Agency Novosti reported.
The joint venture will initially make two An-124 Condor heavy transport aircraft and several dozen in the next 10 years.
The aircraft -- similar in appearance to the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, but larger -- will feature advanced avionics, upgraded power units, an increased payload capacity of up to 165 tons, an extended flight range and a smaller crew, Novosti said.
The An-124 has been used to carry locomotives, yachts, aircraft fuselages and other oversized cargo. It is able to kneel to allow for easier front loading. // Copyright 2007 by United Press International
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