The start of the Ukraine War meant the end of the Antonov An-225. Because the world’s largest cargo plane was destroyed. Now there are plans for a successor.
Munich — She was one of the first and most spectacular victims of the Ukraine war. In February, just a few days after the start of the invasion of Russian troops ordered by Vladimir Putin, the Antonov An-225 was destroyed at its home base Hostomel near Kyiv in an attack by paratroopers from Russia. Even then, the manufacturer declared that the largest cargo plane would be resurrected. Because the dream should live on.
“Mriya” – the Ukrainian equivalent of the word dream – is the nickname of the machine, which measured 84 meters in length, had a wingspan of 88.40 meters and had its first flight in 1988. The reconstruction was expected to cost three billion US dollars (currently around 2.92 million euros), which should be charged to Russia. At the same time, a construction period of five years was estimated.
Antonov wants to rebuild An-225: project with support from other countries
The airline Antonov has now announced that concrete plans have been drawn up to rebuild the giant bird. According to estimates by experts, 30 percent of the components could be reused. Costs of around 500 million euros are expected – significantly less than shortly after the destruction. However, it is still too early to be able to give reliable figures.
The US broadcaster CNN quoted from an e-mail from Antonov, according to which it is “an international project in which airlines from different countries of the world are taking part”. Tapping various sources of funding is being considered. Proposals from companies wishing to participate in the project would be considered.
An-225 to be reconstructed: Antonov wants to start “immediately after the victory of Ukraine”.
Coordination lies with Antonov. Experts are currently evaluating the extent to which key design parts that should be available for new aircraft can be used. The start time for the construction of the new record plane is already fixed. Immediately after Ukraine’s victory,” it said.
The plans were also announced as part of the “Light and Shadow: The Anotonow Story” exhibition at Leipzig/Halle Airport. Photos of the giant aircraft before and after the destruction can be seen there until the end of December. But it’s also about the technology and advancements and the important role that cargo aircraft play in today’s world. The airport is regarded as Antonow’s most important foreign location.
Video: Ukraine rescues world’s largest Antonov 225 aircraft
Is the An-225 coming back? The construction of that time was already considered to be unsustainable and not efficient
Meanwhile sees the portal flight review the plans for a new building of “Mrija” critical. Because this giant machine was still constructed in Soviet times, for example to transport Russian space shuttles. Until the break between Ukraine and Russia in 2014 – the year of the annexation of Crimea – the current aggressor was still supplying the aircraft manufacturer Antonov with important components. Since then, the airline from Kyiv has hardly produced any new machines, the last one was therefore an An-158, which was handed over to Cuba’s state airline Cubana in April 2015.
During the construction of the first and so far only example, components were manufactured in Kyiv and Zaporizhia, but also at Russian locations in Ulyanovsk, Moscow, Voronezh and Nizhny Novgorod and in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Sustainability and efficiency were not taken into account. Plans for a second, more modern An-225 have already been criticized in the recent past because the expenditure would not be profitable. According to the report, a new building is technically possible, but not economically viable, and overall “skepticism is appropriate for a number of reasons”.
Antonov is also more likely to rely solely on the signal that would send out a resurrection of the flying giant. Because a new An-225 would undoubtedly underline that Ukraine is not giving in to Russia – and has emancipated itself from its former big brother. (mg)
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