Ukrainian Aviation Industry: Discussion

Antonov Lands Domestic Order for An-178
by Peter Dunai
June 27, 2019, 12:06 PM


Kiev-based Antonov Enterprise, part of the UkrOboronProm (UOP) Concern, together with the Ukrainian Ministry of Interior (representing the State Emergency Service and the Ukrainian National Guard), is working on details of a contract to deliver 13 An-178 multi-purpose medium transport aircraft.
A preliminary agreement was reached at the Paris Air Show between Arsen Avakov, Minister of Internal Affairs; Pavlo Bukin, the head of UOP; and Oleksandr Donts, the president of Antonov. “These are the first aircraft with Ukrainian and European components,” Avakov tweeted on June 17. “The first demonstration flight is scheduled to take place this autumn, and the aircraft will enter service in three years.”

Estimated at $600 to $800 million, the contract is scheduled to be signed this fall, UOP announced. It will be the first domestic order for the An-178, which first flew in 2015. The 13 aircraft are expected to be built using Ukrainian, U.S., and European components, replacing parts previously provided by Russia.

The An-178s will form part of the new United System of Aviation and Civil Protection (ESABtCZ in Ukrainian), which is scheduled to become operational by 2022. The An-178s will join 55 Airbus helicopters in the program, the acquisition of which was announced in 2018. Missions for these aircraft involves firefighting and emergency operations, in addition to supporting the country’s National Guard in relocating assets and troops.

Acquiring the 13 An-178s for the ESABtCZ also serves the purpose of introducing the aircraft to foreign buyers, as well as attracting foreign investors to the Ukrainian aircraft industry, said Bukin. Ukraine’s aircraft industry is on a path to remove the “Russian connection” by replacing Russian technology and spare parts, rebuilding the industry with Western partners, and observing NATO standards as far as military aviation is concerned.

In line with creating a solid base for the independent Ukrainian aircraft industry, UOP also announced in mid-June that Plant 410CA (a key aviation industry asset) is prioritizing the modernization of An-26 military transport aircraft for the country’s air force at an accelerated pace. Upgrading with Ukrainian- and European-made components involves practically all of the major systems, including avionics, radio-electronics, and navigation systems to enable joint operations with NATO forces.

Plant 410CA is also participating in India’s efforts to upgrade and modernize its 100-plus Antonov military aircraft, namely the upgrade of Indian Air Force An-32s to An-32RE standard. The Ukrainian partner supplies the air force with avionics, which together with other systems of foreign manufacture are being installed in the IAF An-32s.

In another development at the 2019 Paris Air Show, the UAE defense ministry expressed interest in unmanned aerial vehicles made by Antonov, the head of UkrOboronProm announced after meeting a senior UAE defense ministry official on the sidelines of the show. “Currently the most promising markets for us are opening in the Middle East and Southeast Asia,” he added.

Chinese investment company Skyrizon has resumed attempts to acquire Motor Sich, the Ukrainian engine-building company.
An investment company based in Beijing, which specializes in investments in the aviation industry, has renewed its attempts to acquire a stake in a Ukrainian engine-building company. The corresponding application is considered by the Ukrainian anti-monopoly authority. About it reports the Global Times.   The publication, referring to a note on the reorganization of Skyrizon and Beijing Xinwei Technology, published on July 12 by the Shanghai Stock Exchange, notes that the application for the purchase of Motor Sich shares to the competent authorities of Ukraine was submitted on June 7 and accepted for consideration on June 21. The relevant decision of the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine is expected on July 22.  


Skyrizon Aircraft and Ukroboronprom want joint control over Motor Sich. To this end, as part of a multi-stage concentration, Skyrizon Aircraft, which now owns a 9.99% stake, Motor Sich plans to gain control of more than 50% over other offshore shareholders of the Ukrainian enterprise - Granum Corporation (Panama, has 9.30% stake), Likatron Enterprises Limited (Cyprus, 9.99%) and Reckoner Investment Holdings Limited (Cyprus, 9.99%). According to SMIDA, the shareholders of Motor Sich are also Chinese citizen Wang Xinley (5.01%), Tinstar Holdings S.A. (Belize, 6.23%), Business house Helena, AG (Panama), OJSC Trading house “Elena” (Ukraine, 9.30%, the company belongs to Belize offshore company Montagne ltd), Motor-Intercoms LLC (Ukraine, the beneficiary is Xu Changshun from China, 9.70%).  Between Motor Sich JSC and Beijing Skyrizon Aviation Industry Investment Co., Ltd. (People's Republic of China) signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to create an aircraft engine manufacturing plant in Chongqing, People's Republic of China, in fulfillment of which a working group was created from the number of specialists of Motor Sich JSC who go to China. It has been established that Beijing Skyrizon Aviation Industry Investment Co., Ltd. is the owner of 100% of the share capital of Hong Kong Skyrizon Holding Limited (Hong Kong), which in turn is the owner of 100% of the share capital of Skyrizon Aircraft Holdings Limited. The latter company is now trying, together with Ukroboronprom, to obtain permission for the AMCU to concentrate.   If approved, Skyrizon may own more than 50 percent of Motor Sich shares. The publication reminds that Beijing’s previous attempts to buy a stake in the engine-building company from Kiev had met with resistance from Washington. Photo: diana-mihailova.livejournal.com According to the Global Times, China has 13 types and more than 1,200 units of aircraft engines manufactured by Motor Sich. Buying a Ukrainian manufacturer will allow Beijing to reduce the lag in technology, and Kiev will ensure the loading of its own enterprise, which is prohibited from military-technical cooperation with Moscow.     In 2018, The Washington Times published a material in which the sale of Motor Sich by the Chinese was called a “backstab” because, in this way, Ukraine helps Chinese competitors in the US catch up in aircraft manufacturing.

Ukraine wins tender to produce An-178 aircraft for Peru
14:47, 15 August 2019


Peru’s tender evaluated “the performance characteristics, delivery terms, extended warranties, personnel training, and other social and manufacturing preferences proposed by the bidders”. Antonov won the tender

Tsavo Lion wrote:Ukraine sells its last plane: https://regnum.ru/news/polit/2696206.html

Tsavo Lion wrote:From last year:
THE POWER OF PAPER LOVE. WILL ERDOGAN SHOW PUTIN THE UKRAINIAN AN-188?

GarryB wrote:A turboprop powered Il-476 would have the range and payload capacity they want and also the reduced speed they require as well for the VDV.

I would think the Tu-330 would be too small for the job, and I can see Antonov burning down their own factories and machines and equipment before being Russian owned... the An-70 was what they wanted, but it wasn't perfected yet... there was still work to do, so modifying an aircraft design they do own makes rather more sense than pining after something that is lost to them now.

Tsavo Lion wrote:

For Russia they could invest in their own factories and air fields and benefit directly from that, rather than saving something for an ungrateful neighbour...

relations can change & work can be outsourced, esp. when/if plants in Russia/China r too busy & planes must be returned to service sooner rather than later.