The Russian Ministry of Defence buys 15 passenger airplanes Antonov AN-148 1106131

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World Air Force News - Russia
 
 
The Russian Ministry of Defence buys 15 passenger airplanes Antonov AN-148.
 
The Russian Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Voronezh joint-stock airplane-building company (VASO) on purchase of 15 passenger airplanes An-148. The value of the deal amounted to 18 billion rubles. According to the terms of the agreement, the airplanes should be supplied between 2013 and 2017 but the contract makes provisions for a possibility of transfer of all airliners to the customer ahead of schedule.
     
The Russian Defense Ministry signed a contract with Voronezh joint-stock airplane-building company (VASO) on purchase of 15 passenger airplanes An-148. The value of the deal amounted to 18 billion rubles. According to the terms of the agreement, the airplanes should be supplied between 2013 and 2017 but the contract makes provisions for a possibility of transfer of all airliners to the customer ahead of schedule.
Ukrainian-made AN-148 transport aircraft
     

According to the stipulated schedule, the Russian Ministry of Defence will receive one An-148 in 2013, four in 2014 and 2015 each and three in 2016 and 2017 each. Along with this, representatives of VASO do not rule that two airplanes may be handed over to the ministry by the end of 2013. According to General Director of the company Vitaly Zubarev, the signed contract will allow provision of additional work for the plant and creation of jobs.

Besides of the Defense Ministry of Russia one An-148 should be supplied to the Federal Security Service. Earlier, one airplane of such type was supplied to the presidential affairs department. According to President of United Shipbuilding Corporation Mikhail Pogosyan, by the end of 2013 the presidential affairs department will receive one more AN-148 and in 2016 it will receive two such airplanes.

It became known that the Defense Ministry was going to buy 15 passenger airplanes An-148 at the beginning of February of 2013. The amount of possible purchase was estimated at $450 million (about 14 billion rubles) then.

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