Antonov unveils further details about future An-132 light transport aircraft's production plans

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Paris Air Show 2015
International Paris Air Show
15 - 21 June 2015
Paris - Le Bourget, France
 
 
 
Antonov unveils further details about future An-132 light transport aircraft's production plans
 
Antonov Company signed an agreement on participation in designing and construction of an aviation plant in Saudi Arabia in order to produce the future An-132 light multipurpose transport aircraft, the Ukraine’s state-owned announced at Paris Air Show 2015 on June 17. The aircraft will be developed in collaboration with Antonov's Saudi partner Taqni, with company representatives outlining the expected performance and roles for the aircraft.
     
Antonov Company signed an agreement on participation in designing and construction of an aviation plant in Saudi Arabia in order to produce the future An-132 light multipurpose transport aircraft, the Ukraine’s state-owned announced at Paris Air Show 2015 on June 17. The aircraft will be developed in collaboration with Antonov's Saudi partner Taqni, with company representatives outlining the expected performance and roles for the aircraft. Antonov's future An-132 light multipurpose transport aircraft
     
Thie An-132 project will be implemented jointly with partners from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the participation of the leading aviation companies from around the world, including Pratt & Whitney Canada, General Electric, Honeywell, Liebher and Hamilton Sundstrand.

This program started on April 2015, when a contract between KACST and Antonov Company was signed. As Dr. Khaled A.Alhussan, Director of Space and Aeronautics Research Institute, KACST, noted, according to present plans the An-132 prototype should be constructed in a year and a half.

Antonov also announced on 17 June 2015 at Paris Air Show that it had signed an agreement, along with its Saudi partner Taqnia, Ukraine's UkrNII AT "Altis Holding", and Germany's Broetje-Automation to establish a manufacturing facility in Saudi Arabia as part of the offset requirements for the programme.

The new An-132 was created to replace the internationally renowned An-32 and An-26. The An-132 is a small, twin-engined turboprop cargo aircraft carrying up to 9.2t of payload, aimed at both the military and the civil market.. The An-132 will initially be used for logistics purposes including troop transport and transporting light vehicles, as well as configurations for paratroops, airdropping cargo, and medevac roles.

The An-132 will inherit the best characteristics of its predecessor: operation in hot climate and in mountain terrains owing to high thrust-weight ratio, basing on all the airfields, reliability and flexibility to operation conditions. The An-132 will have a two-member crew “glass” cockpit, board systems and equipment meeting all the modern standards. In-built loading/unloading equipment and auxiliary power unit provide autonomous operation while basing at unprepared airfields.

According to preliminary estimates, the market demand for the given aircraft is about 900 units.