MOSCOW. Oct 19 (Interfax-AVN) - Mass delivery of medium-haul transport planes is due to begin in 2026, according to the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC).
"A request for designing a medium-haul transport plane signed by the Chief of General Staff was received by the UAC in July 2017. [...] The document specified the required parameters and set the year 2026 as the deadline for starting mass deliveries," the UAC corporate magazine Gorizonty said in a report.
"Plane specifications approved by the Aerospace Forces commander were attached to the request. It said that forces needed new medium-haul transport planes to replace the decommissioned Antonov An-12," the magazine said.
The press service of the UAC transport aviation branch said earlier that Ilyushin Company was working on a medium-haul plane Ilyushin Il-276. "As for the medium-haul transport plane program, JSC Ilyushin is preparing a conceptual design of Il-276," the press service said in June 2018.
According to the UAC corporate magazine, the outdated Ukrainian An-12 will be fully decommissioned by 2030 and replaced with a new medium-haul transport plane. "At the moment, most of 69 An-12 planes in our fleet are no longer operational," the magazine said.
The UAC and the Russian Industry and Trade Ministry signed a government contract for the research and development of the medium-haul transport plane on December 28, 2017. The ministry started to fund the project in 2017, and more funding is expected from the Defense Ministry in 2019 as part of the program of technical training means.
"The medium-haul plane could have other purposes, in addition to transportation. Just like Il-76, the new plane could be transformed into a tanker jet or airdrop paratroopers in the course of their initial and professional development training. There could be a rescue modification, a flying hospital, too. The plane could accommodate an airborne command post or fight fires if necessary," the magazine said.
The medium-haul military transport aircraft is meant to transport up to 20 tonnes of cargo to distances of 2,000 kilometers, and airdrop troops, cargo and hardware. The plane will have a regular aerodynamic structure, a high-set wing, and two turbojet engines under the wing.
It will take off from dirt and artificial runways and autonomously accomplish transportation missions away from base.