Antonov

For other uses, see Antonov (disambiguation).

Antonov Company,^[a] formerly the Aeronautical Scientific-Technical Complex named after Antonov (Antonov ASTC),^[b] and earlier the Antonov Design Bureau, for its chief designer, Oleg Antonov, is a Ukrainian aircraft manufacturing and services company. Antonov's particular expertise is in the fields of very large aeroplanes and aeroplanes using unprepared runways. Antonov (model prefix "An-") has built a total of approximately 22,000 aircraft, and thousands of its planes are operating in the former Soviet Union and in developing countries.^[2]

Antonov State Enterprise

Native name	Державне підприємство «Антонов»
Company type	State-owned company
Industry	Aerospace and defence
Founded	31 May 1946; 77 years ago (1946-05-31)
Founder	Oleg Antonov
Headquarters	Kyiv , Ukraine
Key people	Oleksandr Donets (president of the enterprise)^[1]
Products	Aircraft for various applications Aircraft maintenance Cargo air transport
Total assets	₴13.8 bn (2020)
Total equity	₴9.0 bn (2020)
Number of employees	13,700 (2014)
Parent	Ukroboronprom
Divisions	Antonov Serial Production Plant Antonov Airlines Hostomel Airport
Website	www.antonov.com

Antonov Company is a state-owned commercial company originally established in Novosibirsk, Russia. In 1952, the company relocated to Kyiv, Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union.^[3] On 12 May 2015, it was transferred from the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade to the Ukroboronprom (Ukrainian Defense Industry).^[4]

In June 2016, Ukraine's major state-owned arms manufacturer Ukroboronprom announced the creation of the Ukrainian Aircraft Corporation within its structure, to combine all aircraft manufacturing enterprises in Ukraine.

History

Soviet era

 

Antonov An-2, mass-produced Soviet utility aeroplane.

Foundation and relocation

The company was established in 1946 at the Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association as the top-secret Soviet Research and Design Bureau No. 153 (OKB-153). It was headed by Oleg Antonov and specialised in turboprop military transport aircraft. The task was to create an agricultural aircraft CX-1 (An-2), the first flight of which occurred on 31 August 1947. The An-2 biplane was a major achievement of this period, with hundreds of these aircraft still operating as of 2013.^[5] In addition to this biplane and its modifications, a small series of gliders A-9 and A-10 were created and built in the pilot production in Novosibirsk. In 1952, the Bureau was relocated to Kyiv, a city with a rich aviation history and an aircraft-manufacturing infrastructure restored after the destruction caused by World War II.

First serial aircraft and expansion

 

An-12, Cold War-era tactical transport, in flight

 

47-year-old An-12 still in operational condition in 2011

The 1957 introduction of the An-10/An-12 family of mid-range turboprop aeroplanes began the successful production of thousands of these aircraft. Their use for both heavy combat and civilian purposes around the globe continues to the present; the An-10/An-12 were used most notably in the Vietnam War, the Soviet–Afghan War and the Chernobyl disaster relief megaoperation.

In 1959, the bureau began construction of the separate Flight Testing and Improvement Base in suburban Hostomel (now the Antonov Airport).

In 1965, the Antonov An-22 heavy military transport entered serial production to supplement the An-12 in major military and humanitarian airlifts by the Soviet Union. The model became the first Soviet wide-body aircraft, and it remains the world's largest turboprop-powered aircraft. Antonov designed and presented a nuclear-powered version of the An-22. It was never flight tested.

In 1966, after the major expansion in the Sviatoshyn neighbourhood of the city, the company was renamed to another disguise name: "Kyiv Mechanical Plant". Two independent aircraft production and repair facilities, under engineering supervision of the Antonov Bureau, also appeared in Kyiv during this period.

Prominence and Antonov's retirement

 

Antonov An-24, the Soviet Union's most common regional airliner

In the 1970s and early 1980s, the company established itself as the Soviet Union's main designer of military transport aircraft with dozens of new modifications in development and production. After Oleg Antonov's death in 1984, the company was officially renamed as the Research and Design Bureau named after O.K. Antonov (Russian: Опытно-конструкторское бюро имени О.К. Антонова) while continuing the use of "Kyiv Mechanical Plant" alias for some purposes.

Late Soviet-era: superlarge projects and first commercialisation

 

An-225 was the largest operative aircraft in the world.

In the late 1980s, the Antonov Bureau achieved global prominence after the introduction of its extra large aeroplanes. The An-124 "Ruslan" (1982) became the Soviet Union's mass-produced strategic airlifter under the leadership of Chief Designer Viktor Tolmachev.^{[citation needed]} The Bureau enlarged the "Ruslan" design even more for the Soviet spaceplane programme logistics, creating the An-225 "Mriya" in 1985. "Mriya" was the world's largest and heaviest aeroplane.^[6]

The end of the Cold War and perestroika allowed the Antonov company's first step to commercialisation and foreign expansion. In 1989, the Antonov Airlines subsidiary was created for its own aircraft maintenance and cargo projects.

Independent Ukraine

Antonov Design Bureau remained a state-owned company after Ukraine achieved its independence in 1991 and is since regarded as a strategic national asset.

Expansion to free market

 

Rollout of the first serially-produced An-148 at Antonov's hangar in Kyiv, 2009. An An-124 under maintenance seen in the far corner of the hangar.

Since independence, Antonov has certified and marketed both Soviet-era and newly developed models for sale in new markets outside of the former soviet-sphere of influence. New models introduced to serial production and delivered to customers include the Antonov An-140, Antonov An-148 and Antonov An-158 regional airliners.

Among several modernisation projects, Antonov received orders for upgrading "hundreds" of its An-2 utility planes still in operation in Azerbaijan, Cuba and Russia to the An-2-100 upgrade version.^[5]

In 2014, following the annexation of the Crimea by Russia, Ukraine cancelled contracts with Russia, leading to a significant income reduction in Ukraine's defense and aviation industries.^[7] However Ukraine has been slowly recovering the deficit from breaking ties with Russia by entering new markets such as the Persian Gulf region^[8][9] and expanding its presence in old ones such as India.^{[10][11][12][13][14]}

In July 2018, Antonov was able to secure a deal with Boeing in order to procure airplane parts which were no longer available due to breakdown of relations with Russia.^[15]

Production facilities' consolidation

During the Soviet period, not all Antonov-designed aircraft were manufactured by the company itself. This was a result of Soviet industrial strategy that split military production between different regions of the Soviet Union to minimise potential war loss risks. As a result, Antonov aeroplanes were often assembled by the specialist contract manufacturers.

In 2009, the once-independent "Aviant" aeroplane-assembling plant in Kyiv became part of Antonov, facilitating a full serial manufacturing cycle of the company. However, the old tradition of co-manufacturing with contractors is continued, both with Soviet-time partners and with new licensees like Iran's Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company.^[16]

In 2014, the Antonov produced and delivered only two An-158 airplanes.^[17] This trend continued onto 2015, producing one An-148 and one An-158.^[18] Since 2016, no aircraft have been produced or delivered to clients.^[19]

 

Antonov/Taqnia An-132 roll out ceremony in Kyiv, 20 December 2016

In June 2016, Ukraine's major state-owned arms manufacturer Ukroboronprom announced the creation of the Ukrainian Aircraft Corporation within its structure, thereby combining all aircraft manufacturing enterprises, including the assets of Antonov into a single cluster, according to Ukroboronprom's press service.^[20]

On 19 July 2017, the Ukrainian government approved the liquidation of Antonov's assets.^[21][22] The State Concern "Antonov" (a business group, created in 2005 from the merger of several legally independent companies into a single economic entity under unified management) will be liquidated as a residual corporate entity. Antonov State Company, Kharkiv State Aviation Manufacturing Enterprise and Plant No.410 of Civil Aviation were transferred under the management of another state-owned concern Ukroboronprom in 2015. Antonov State Company continues to function as an enterprise.^[23]

On 31 March 2017, the first prototype of a new multifunctional cargo plane An-132 – a demonstration plane An-132D – took to the air from the runway of Sviatoshyn airfield. The An-132 development program had been implemented in the framework of a contract with a customer from Saudi Arabia.

On 24 February 2022, at the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in Ukraine, the first attacks were launched at Kyiv-Antonov-2 airfield, the site of Antonov's test flights and home base of the planes of Antonov Airlines. The planes An-26, An-74 and administrative premises were destroyed. The planes Аn-225 Mriya, Аn-12, Аn-22, Аn-28, Аn-132D and Аn-124-100-150, the hangars and other infrastructure were severely damaged.

The Security Service of Ukraine established that the former director general of Antonov Company Serhiy Bychkov had not provided access to the site for the National Guard in January and February 2022 and thus obstructed preparations for defence.^[24]

The investigators consider that Bychkov's negligence is the direct cause of the loss of Mriya, because the plane could have been sent to Germany long before February 24. In March 2023, Serhiy Bychkov was arrested, in April he faced formal suspicion in connection with the loss of An-225 Mriya and damages to Antonov amounting to ₴8.4 million.^[25][26][27]

Composition

• Antonov Serial Production Plant (formerly Kyiv Aviation Factory "Aviant") – Kyiv
• Kharkiv Aviation Factory – Kharkiv
• Antonov – Kyiv
• Civil Aviation Factory 441 – Kyiv

Airfields

• Sviatoshyn Airfield, Aviant factory in Kyiv
• Hostomel Airport, freight airport in Hostomel

Products and activities

 

LT-10 tram

 

Kyiv-12 trolley bus

Fields of commercial activity of Antonov ASTC include:

• Aircraft design and manufacturing
• Cargo air transport (Antonov Airlines)
• Aircraft maintenance, testing, certification and upgrading
• Aerospace-related research and engineering
  • "Aerial Launch": a joint Russian-Ukrainian project of midair spacecraft space launch from aboard a modified version of the An-225.^[28]
• Operation of the Hostomel airport (Antonov Airport)
• Medium-capacity rail transport system RADAN
• Construction of LT-10A trams (with aluminium body)
• Construction and manufacturing of Kiev-12 trolley buses (a spin-off, using existing technical expertise).^[29]

Major contractors and partners

Contract and licensee manufacturers

• Tashkent Aviation Production Association (formerly Tashkent State Aviation Plant) – Tashkent, Uzbekistan
• Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (HESA) – Shahin Shahr, Iran^[16]
• Voronezh Aircraft Production Association (VASO) – Voronezh, Russia

Chief designers

• Oleg Antonov: 1946–1984
• Petro Balabuiev: 1984–2005
• Dmytro Kiva: since 2005

Aircraft

Antonov's primary activity has generally been in developing large military transport aircraft, including the world's largest airplanes, chiefly for the Russian Federation and its predecessor nations.^[30][31]

Additionally, Antonov has produced airliners. It has also produced numerous variants of both transports and airliners, for operations ranging from air freight hauling to military reconnaissance, command and control operations.^[30]

It has also developed various general aviation light aircraft, having originated as a producer of gliders.^[30]

Transports, airliners and derivatives

Antonov's aeroplanes (design office prefix An) range from the rugged An-2 biplane through the An-28 reconnaissance aircraft to the massive An-124 Ruslan and An-225 Mriya strategic airlifters (the latter being the world's heaviest aircraft and was the only one in service).^[30]

Sometimes defunct and sometimes normal, the An-24, An-26, An-30 and An-32 family of twin turboprop, high-winged, passenger-cargo-troop transport aircraft are important for domestic/short-haul air services particularly in parts of the world once led by communist governments. The An-72/An-74 series of small jetliners is slowly replacing that fleet, and a larger An-70 freighter is under certification.

The Antonov An-148 is a new regional airliner of twin-turbofan configuration. Over 150 aircraft have been ordered since 2007. A stretched version is in development, the An-158 (from 60–70 to 90–100 passengers).

Aircraft	Name	Maiden flight	Remarks
An-2	Kukuruznik	31 August 1947	multi-purpose, biplane, single-engine utility transport.
An-2-100	Kukuruznik	10 July 2013	An-2 upgrade version refitted with Motor Sich kerosene-fueled engine (instead of original avgas).^[5]
An-3		13 May 1980	turboprop conversion of An-2
An-4		31 July 1951	float-equipped An-2
An-6	Meteo	21 March 1948	weather reconnaissance aircraft based on An-2
An-8		11 February 1956	medium military transport
An-10	Ukraina	7 March 1957	medium turboprop-powered airliner
An-11		1961	motorised variant of the A-11 glider
An-12		16 December 1957	military turboprop-powered transport, developed from An-10
An-13		1962	light aircraft developed from the A-13M motor glider
An-14	Pchelka	14 March 1958	light twin-engine transport
An-16		Cancelled	projected stretched variant of An-10
An-20		Cancelled	projected large turboprop transport; cancelled in favor of An-22
An-20		Cancelled	trainer; competitor to the Yak-30 and L-29
An-22	Antei	27 February 1965	extremely large turboprop transport
An-24		20 October 1959	twin-turboprop airliner
An-26		21 May 1969	twin-turboprop transport, derived from An-24
An-28		1 September 1974	twin-turboprop light transport, developed from An-14
An-30		Cancelled	development of An-14A
An-30		21 August 1967	An-24 adapted for aerial photography and mapping
An-32		9 July 1976	twin-turboprop hot-and-high transport, up-engine An-26 airframe
An-34		4 September 1961	initial designation of An-24T
An-38		23 June 1994	twin-turboprop light transport, stretched An-28
An-40		Cancelled	military transport developed from An-12
An-42		Cancelled	version of An-40 with boundary layer control
An-44		Cancelled	cargo aircraft project developed from An-24
An-50		Cancelled	airliner project, developed from An-24V
An-51		Cancelled	civil piston utility aircraft
An-52		Cancelled	light twin-piston aircraft
An-60 [uk]		Cancelled	projected STOL military transport, utilizing the Coandă effect; later became the An-72/An-74
An-70		16 December 1994	large military transport, powered by four propfan engines, to replace An-12
An-71		12 July 1985	prototype naval AWACS development of An-72
An-72	Cheburashka	31 August 1977	STOL transport, utilizing the Coandă effect
An-74	Cheburashka	29 November 1983	civil version of An-72; version with engines below wings is called An-74TK-300^[32]
An-77			proposed modernized version of An-70 with Western avionics and engines
An-80 [uk]		Cancelled	projected airliner version of An-72/An-74
An-91		Cancelled	twin-engine cabin monoplane development of Cessna 310
An-102		Cancelled	light agricultural aircraft
An-122		Cancelled	further development of An-22
An-124	Ruslan	26 December 1982	strategic airlifter; largest aircraft ever mass-produced
An-126		Cancelled	heavy transport aircraft project
An-132		31 March 2017	transport aircraft based on An-32; cancelled in 2019
An-140		17 September 1997	short-range turboprop airliner, to replace An-24
An-148		17 December 2004	regional jet for 68–85 passengers
An-158		28 April 2010	stretched version of An-148 for 99 passengers
An-168		28 April 2010	business variant of An-148; now called An-148-300
An-170			proposed stretched An-70
An-171			proposed maritime patrol version of An-170
An-174		Cancelled	enlarged An-74 with engines below wings
An-178		7 May 2015	military transport based on the An-158
An-180		Cancelled	medium propfan airliner, around 175 passengers
An-181	Handiwork	Cancelled	experimental aircraft
An-188			proposed transport aircraft project based on An-70
An-218		Cancelled	propfan- or turbofan-powered widebody airliner
An-225	Mriya	21 December 1988	An-124 derived strategic airlifter. The Largest aircraft ever built; only one put into service. Destroyed in the Battle of Antonov Airport in February 2022.^[33]
An-248 [uk]		Cancelled	projected airliner version of An-225, to compete with the Airbus A380
An-318 [uk]		Cancelled	A planned trijet to compete with the DC-10 and L-1011 TriStar^[34]
An-325		Cancelled	planned enlarged, eight-engine version of An-225, intended for launching rockets
An-418 [uk]		Cancelled	a planned airliner version of the An-124 that could compete with the Airbus A380^[35]
An-714		20 October 1970	modification of An-14 with air cushion landing gear
An-Be-20 [uk]		Cancelled	projected small trijet airliner to replace the Li-2, Il-12 and Il-14, developed in cooperation with Beriev. Cancelled in favor of the Yakovlev Yak-40, which was also in development at the time.
An-BK-1 [uk]	Gorlitsa	8 November 2017	planned multipurpose UAV
DT-5/8		Cancelled	projected large twin-engine transport
E-153		Cancelled	flying testbed for aircraft 'M'
GPS		Cancelled	small twin-engine utility transport
OKA-38	Aist	1939	Copy of Fieseler Fi 156
Li-2V		1940	high-altitude research aircraft, converted from a Lisunov Li-2
M	Masha	Cancelled	projected jet fighter
N		Cancelled	projected twin turboprop airliner based on the An-8
P		Cancelled	projected twin jet engine transport based on the An-8
R		Cancelled	projected twin turboprop airliner based on the An-8
SKV	Partizanskii	Cancelled	Basis for An-14
T-2M	Maverick	1 January 1990	ultralight trike for recreational club use and special forces requirements
VP	Utka	Cancelled	experimental air trailer (tow glider)
Yu		Cancelled	projected large turboprop transport

Gliders

 

Antonov A-15 in Czech markings

Aircraft	Name	Maiden flight	Remarks
A-1		1930	single-seat training glider
A-2		1936	two-seat training glider derived from the A-1
A-3	Molodv
A-6
A-7		1942	military glider
A-9		1948	single-seat sailplane developed from the RF-7
A-10		1952	two-seat sailplane developed from the A-9
A-11		1958
A-13		1958
A-15		1960
BS-3		1934	training glider
BS-4		1935	training glider
BS-5 (OKA-31)		1936	training glider
DIP (OKA-14)	Dognat i peregna	1932	record glider developed from OKA-6
IP
LEM-2 (OKA-37)		1937	motor glider
M-1		1933
M-2
M-3 (OKA-24)		1934
M-4 (OKA-29)
M-5 (OKA-30)		1936
OKA-1	Golub	1924
OKA-2		1925
OKA-3		1928
OKA-5	Standard-2	1930
OKA-6	Gorod Lenina	1930
OKA-7	Bubik	1930
OKA-13	Chest Uslovii Stalina	1932
OKA-21		1933	training glider based on DIP
PS-1 (OKA-11)			training glider
PS-2 (OKA-12)			training glider
RF-1 (OKA-17)		1933
RF-2 (OKA-18)		1933
RF-3 (OKA-19)		1933
RF-4 (OKA-20)		1933
RF-5 (OKA-23)		1934
RF-6 (OKA-28)
RF-7		1937	sports glider
RF-8		1941	troop glider, enlarged RF-7; redesignated A-7
US-1		1931	training glider
US-2		1931	training glider
US-3		1932	training glider, first mass-produced Soviet glider
US-4			training glider, redesignated A-1
US-5 (OKA-32)		1936	training glider
US-6			training glider, redesignated A-2

See also

•  Ukraine portal
•  Companies portal
•  Aviation portal

• List of military aircraft of the Soviet Union and the CIS

Notes

1. Ukrainian: Державне підприємство «Антонов»
2. Ukrainian: Авіаційний науково-технічний комплекс імені Антонова, [АНТК ім. Антонова]

References

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2. "Information About the Company". antonov.com. Archived from the original on 27 February 2018. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
3. 21 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on 5 February 2011.
4. Cabinet of Ukraine gave Antonov to Ukroboronprom 18 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Ukrinform. 12 May 2015
5. Россия заказала у Антонова усовершенствованные кукурузники. Korrespondent (in Russian). 11 July 2013. from the original on 14 August 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
6. "Ukraine detains officials over destruction of famous plane at start of war". Reuters. 10 March 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
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10. "Ukraine, U.S. winning Indian defense market over Russia - official". www.unian.info. from the original on 8 January 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
11. "Janes | Latest defence and security news". Janes.com. from the original on 12 September 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
12. "Ukraine to Pitch for Repair, Components Supply of USSR Origin Aircraft in India". defenseworld.net. from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
13. "Ukraine preparing for boosting defense cooperation with Africa in aircraft repair area | KyivPost - Ukraine's Global Voice". KyivPost. 25 September 2018. from the original on 8 January 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
14. Bekdil, Burak Ege (27 July 2018). "Turkey, Ukraine advance An-188 co-production talks". Defense News. Archived from the original on 14 April 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
15. Polityuk, Pavel (27 July 2018). "Ukraine plane maker turns West with Boeing tie-up". Reuters. from the original on 13 February 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2021 – via www.reuters.com.
16. "ANTONOV history". www.antonov.com. Archived from the original on 27 February 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
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18. . Archived from the original on 12 September 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
19. Зеленский хочет создать госавиакомпанию, летающую на украинских самолетах — Центр транспортных стратегий
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21. "Cabinet of Ministers liquidates Concern Antonov - 25.07.2017 17:39 — Ukrinform News". from the original on 15 August 2017. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
22. "The Cabinet of Ministers has decided to liquidate State Aircraft Manufacturing Concern Antonov". Ukrinform. 26 July 2017. from the original on 15 August 2017. Retrieved 26 July 2017.
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24. "Служба безпеки України". Telegram. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
25. "Офіс Генерального прокурора". Telegram. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
26. "СБУ повідомила про підозру екскерівникам ДП "Антонов", чиї дії призвели до знищення "Мрії" (відео)". SSU (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 18 May 2023.
27. "Destruction of Mriya aircraft: Ukraine's Security Service arrests ex-CEO of Antonov State Enterprise and serves him with notice of suspicion". Ukrainska Pravda. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
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29. . Archived from the original on 20 December 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2009.
30. Guttman, Robert: "Antonov’s Heavy Hauler for Hire," July 27, 2018, HistoryNet, retrieved February 24, 2022
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Further reading

• MacFarquhar, Neil. "Aviation Giant Is Nearly Grounded in Ukraine." The New York Times. 12 October 2014. Corrected on 12 October 2014.

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Antonov.

• Antonov company site
• Antonov company history
• Antonov company site (in Russian)