MOSCOW. Jan 8 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian Air Force will sum up results of the competition for the best project of a tactical military transport plane in the first quarter of 2002, Viktor Livanov, director general of the Ilyushin aircraft production enterprise, told Interfax-Military News Agency on Tuesday.
According to him, the enterprise put up the project of the IL-112V plane project for the competition. The plane is going to be powered by two TV7-117S engines developing 2,500hp each. It can be equipped with different engines of the same capacity at the customer's request, Livanov said. In case the plane wins the tender its serial production will be launched at the Voronezh aircraft production enterprise.
The IL-112V is intended for transportation of cargo weighing up to six tonnes for the distance of up to 6,000km. The plane's potential market for the period of up to 2010 is estimated at 100 to 120 aircraft for the Defense Ministry and 200 more for civil companies.
After the results of the competition are announced the winner will sign a treaty on step-by-step development of the plane, and the Defense Ministry will start financing the program.
The tender also involves the Sukhoi design bureau, MIG aircraft corporation and Tupolev JS.