An-124 Strategic Transport: News

sepheronx wrote:Is there any links regarding this proposed aircraft?

The task in 2019 to equip the heavy military transport aircraft An-124 "Ruslan" Ukrainian domestic engines instead of the D-18T, according to Interfax-Military News Agency quoted the deputy chief designer of "Kuznetsov" Anton Shatsky

"The specified deadlines are extremely tight. To be exact "fit" in the size of the D-18T engine nacelle. Despite all the difficulties, this problem is solved ", - said A.Shatsky.

According to him, it is regarded as the base engine NK-32 series 2. The engine was created for the Tu-160. It has a unique turbine that can withstand prolonged high-temperature regimes.

"During the current year JSC" Kuznetsov "was carried out to study the possibility of using the gas generator engine NK-32 aircraft AN-124" - said A.Shatsky.

He pointed out that the original study show that developed on the basis of the NK-32 engine will have a maximum takeoff thrust of 24 t (at the D-18T - 23.4 m), and the thrust of the engine at an altitude of 11 km and a speed of M = 0.75 will be 5 m.

Firebird wrote:Anyone know what the intellectual property status is of the An-124?

I think its jointly built at Ru and Ukr plants.
There was talk that Russia would buy Antonov only 3 or so yrs ago.
But I think the intelluctual property rights are still in Ukrainian ownership.

I'm pretty sure that, as of now, Russia could not produce whole new An-124s on its own.

But I wonder, can it keep (cough) "repairing" a hull.

Its what happens with vintage cars.
ie someone owns a chassis number or in this case a hull number.
All of the vehicle is effectively fucked. But in the case of the car, you can replace everything and call it a "Ferrari 248 from 1965" etc.

So could the same be done with An 124s?

An-124 Ruslan to be upgraded with new engines
Antonov has signed an agreement with engine makers Ivchenko Progress and Motor Sich to upgrade the D-18 high bypass engines powering the Antonov Airlines An-124-100 Ruslan heavy cargo planes.
Under the program the current D-18 series 3 engines will be upgraded to the series 3M configuration, making it compliant with the new emission and noise standards.
All the 7 Ruslans operated by Antonov Airlines will be upgraded, which will increase the service life of engine from 12000 to 14000 flight hours.
Upgraded engines will provide reduced noise level and emissions enabling to operate to more western airports.
Currently the D-18 3M engines are under testing, and installation and flight testing on the Ruslans are scheduled for next year.
Antonov Airline was founded in 1989 and performs charter air transportation of out size cargoes with its Ruslan and An-225 Mriya fleet. The An-225 is the world largest aircraft, which is powered by six engines.
The Ruslan can carry cargoes of upto 120 tons to a distance of 4500 km. An upgraded variant with improved range, payload and reduced maintenance is also being developed.

Russia Revives Large Airlifter Design Work
by Vladimir Karnozov
The Ilyushin design bureau has resumed work on a very large, four-engine airlifter that was first drafted in the late 1980s. The move comes after support for the Russian air force fleet of An-124 Ruslan heavy airlifters by the Antonov design bureau ended, as a result of the poor relations between Russia and Ukraine.
The Il-106 was originally meant to be a replacement for the aging An-22 turboprop heavy airlifter. Work commenced in 1987, and a draft design was completed in 1992, but funding shortages halted further progress.
But recently, Ilyushin general manager Sergei Velmozhkin told Russian TV that “the Il-106, a new airlifter being developed in Russia, shall be able to land on unpaved runways…this machine is going to be huge, [able to carry] a payload of 80 to 100 tons. Unlike previous designs, it shall be able to land on unprepared runways.” He said that the new aircraft was in the An-124 class.
Ilyushin general designer Nikolai Talikov also confirmed that a big airlifter is being developed. “We can speak about it seriously by 2022-2023” after design work is complete, he said.
The Il-106 was resumed after the Russian defense ministry requested the industry develop what it calls “Perspective Aviation Complex of Military Transport Aviation.” Subsequently, in late 2014/early 2015, United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) came up with a number of proposals, including the “Ermak project.” Details remained scarce until sources within Ilyushin began speaking of the Il-106 program resumption.
A scale model of the Il-106 appeared briefly at Ilyushin stands during airshows a quarter century ago. It revealed a classic ramp-airlifter design bearing resemblance to the Il-76 and An-124, but with winglets and a relatively wider and shorter fuselage. With a length of 58 meters (190 feet), and a wingspan of nearly 60 meters 197 feet], the Il-106 would have a maximum takeoff weight of 258 metric tons (569,000 pounds), and an empty weight of 135 metric tons (298,000 pounds). Cruise speed would be 820-850 km/h [442-460kt], and typical range would be 5,000 km (2,700nm). Field performance: takeoff and landing lengths between 1,400 and 1,550 meters (4,600 to 5,100 feet). The six-meter-wide cargo cabin (about 20 feet) would have a length of 34 meters (111.5 ft) and height of 4.6 meters (15 feet).
Power was to have come from four Nikolai Kuznetsov NK-92 ducted-fan engines each developing 18 metric tons of thrust (39,700 pounds)and developed for record-low fuel burn. Coupled with good lift qualities of the wing (area 370 sq m), these design elements were expected to delivermarkedly lower fuel burn on the Il-106 compared with the previous generation of Soviet airlifters.
Since neither the NK-92 nor its derivative NK-93 has been completed, the reborn Il-106 must have another engine. Most likely, it would be an up-rated version of the PD-14 engine from Aviadvigatel design house. The baseline PD-14 was developed for the Irkut MC-21 airliner, and is now on the brink of flight test on an Il-76 flying testbed.

GarryB wrote:Equally however they might decide instead of a 250 ton payload aircraft that a 1,000 ton payload airship might be more efficient... who can say.

"Ruslan" brought 70 tons of weapons and ammunition for Kurds
Vladimir Gundarov Deputy. managing editor of the "Independent Military Review"
16 August 2016 Russian transport An-124 "Ruslan" delivered from Leipzig to the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan Erbil 70 tons of arms and ammunition taken from the warehouses of the Bundeswehr, Suddeutsche Zeitung reported with reference to the Ministry of Defense of Germany. The plane made ​​a stopover in Baghdad for customs inspection by the central Iraqi authorities. As part of the cargo was 1.5 thousand assault rifles Heckler-Koch G-36 and 1 million cartridges for them, 100 anti-tank Milan (most likely it is a question of missiles), three armored vehicles Dingo-1.. This year, a scandal erupted in Germany due to supply arms to Iraqi Kurds, when it emerged that part of the delivered arms hit the market. After that, the Germans stopped the supply of, and now they have them renewed. Kurds reported that of the 28 th. Barrels previously set Bundeswehr, only 30 units hit the market. In addition to the support of the Iraqi Kurds in Europe are receiving assistance from the United States and Russia. It was reported that in late July, Russia delivered 940 thousand Kurds. Cartridges for machine guns and Kalashnikov in preparation for an attack on Mosul. Russian transport aircraft and boarded for inspection in Baghdad. In addition, it was promised that it was not the last plane with military assistance to Iraqi Kurds fighting with IG (banned in Russia as a terrorist organization).
http://nvo.ng.ru/nvoevents/2016-08-26/2_ruslan.html

Kiev intends to leave the Ukraine-Russia-NATO SALIS program on the use of An-124 transport planes, the CEO of the Ukrainian aircraft maker said Wednesday.

KIEV (Sputnik) — Kiev intends to leave the trilateral Ukraine-Russia-NATO Strategic Airlift Interim Solution (SALIS) program on the use of An-124 transport planes in the Alliance's interests, the CEO of the Ukrainian aircraft maker Antonov Airlines, Oleksandr Gritsenko, said Wednesday. "We will participate [in the program] with the Russian company until December 31, and beginning January 1 we will carry out work to operate independently," Gritsenko told journalists. The SALIS program started in 2006, and involves Ukraine's Antonov Airlines and Russia's Volga-Dnepr Airlines, the world's largest operators of Antonov An-124 planes.

Read more: https://sputniknews.com/europe/20160907/1045054883/ukraine-russia-nato-antonov.html
Ruslan and the AN-124 could be forced out of business as Russia and Ukraine squabble
By Alex Lennane 09/09/2016
The future of the AN-124 aircraft is in serious doubt after Ukrainian manufacturer Antonov said it would not work with Russian companies after January 1 2017, and could halt international AN-124 operations.

Ukraine announced on Wednesday that it was leaving the trilateral Ukraine-Russia-NATO Strategic Airlift Interim Solution (SALIS), which would also see the end of Ruslan, the joint marketing agreement between Antonov Airlines and Volga-Dnepr.

CargoForwarder reported that Antonov had also announced a flight ban on all Russia-registered AN-124 operations outside of Russia – which could be a severe blow to Volga-Dnepr. The Loadstar was unable to confirm this however.

Volga-Dnepr has 10 AN-124s, and Antonov Airlines has seven of the aircraft, which are widely used in military operations as well as for commercial heavylift cargo.

With the end surely nigh for Ruslan, manufacturer Antonov will need a company to market its AN-124s. According to Cargo Facts, it has been in talks with AirX – a charter airline moving into cargo, which recently poached a number of Chapman Freeborn executives.

As Cargo Facts notes, why else would “six of its senior staff suddenly decide to work for a small charter airline that operated a handful of small passenger aircraft and one ancient narrowbody freighter”?

The row began when the Russian aviation authority threatened to stop using Antonov’s support services for AN-124s and re-engining the aircraft using a Russian company.

Antonov countered that as the designer of the aircraft and the Type Certificate holder, it was the only company able to work on or change the aircraft – and any which had been altered by other companies would not be fit to fly.

Antonov said: “In case of withdrawal of the AN−124−100 Ruslan civil aircraft from supervision by Antonov, the company will be forced to address international aviation organisations with a statement about the discharge of its responsibility for the safe operation of these airplanes on international air routes.

“Flight accidents could pose a threat to life and property of inhabitants of countries where the aircraft would be operated.”

However, yesterday the chief executive of Russian aircraft firm Ilyushin, Sergei Velmozhkin, said his company would begin research and development work on a new transport aircraft, with a scheduled in-service date of 2027.

Called the IL-106, it has proposed payloads of 80-120 tonnes – which would rival the payload of the AN-124.

The ongoing ‘war of words’ between Russia and Ukraine also explains why the latter approached China to work with it on a new line for the AN-255.

Volga-Dnepr was not immediately available for comment. http://theloadstar.co.uk/ruslan-124-forced-business-russia-ukraine-squabble/

Russia may develop concept aircraft similar to Ukraine’s An-124 in next two years


http://tass.com/defense/901569?_ga=1.90367578.15676205.1469362849