Ukrainian Armed Forces Inducts Antonov An-70 STOL Transport Aircraft

Antonov announced that its An-70 military STOL transport aircraft has been handed over to the Ukraine Ministry of Defense on January 22, 2015.

The transport aircraft will serve Ukrainian Armed Forces intended for aerial delivery, air transportation of troops and tangible assets, provision of maneuvers and troop’s activity and decisions of special tasks.

Decision about induction was taken based on the results of Joint State Tests of the AN−70. The Ukrainian MoD approved the aircraft on June 11, 2014.

Pakholchenko, leading test pilot of State scientific test centre of Armed Forces of Ukraine said, “The AN−70 is easy to be piloted at all difficult flight areas, including short take−off and landing. Optimal ergonomic decisions, applied in the crew cockpit, allow teaching an average pilot flying rather easy. The aircraft forgives pilot lots of things, fixing some of his errors, and differs with high reliability.”

Kiva, President – General Designer of the ANTONOV Company, noted that before final stage of Joint State Tests were works on deep modernization of the AN−70 board equipment and power plant. As a result the AN−70 saved advantages over analogous aircraft, including A 400M European aircraft.

Induction of the AN−70 allows starting up this aircraft serial production and developing its different modifications.