The Ukrainian Armed Forces will reportedly buy up to 8 An-74 multipurpose transport aircraft to replace the aging AN-26 fleet.
Ukrainian Armed Forces are intending to acquire new AN-74 multipurpose transport aircraft, according to Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Strategic Industries of Ukraine Uruskyy Oleh.
The Vice Prime Minister said that measures will be taken to restore the production of An-74 aircraft at the State Enterprise “Kharkiv State Aircraft Production Enterprise”.
Also noted that Ukrainian Air Force and Ukrainian Navy moving toward acquiring 4 transport aircraft and 4 more multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft that will be based on the AN-74 platform.
The AN-74 is a modification of the Soviet-era AN-72 military transport plane. It is intended for ice patrol and transportation missions in support of scientific research operations in the Central Arctic Basin and in the Antarctic. Good cockpit visibility and availability of two bubble windows at the navigator’s and hydrologist’s stations make it possible to conduct visual surveillance of the ice conditions.
The AN-74 was serially manufactured at Kharkiv Aircraft Manufacturing Company where 62 airplanes of this type were built between 1985 and 2004.
At the moment, 6 AN-74 aircraft from 70% to 90% of the factory readiness level and 5 AN-140 regional airlines are at the aircraft plant as work in progress.