MOSCOW. June 11 (Interfax-AVN) - Flight tests of the AN-70 military-transport plane that were supposed to take place in the Russian town of Akhtubinsk, Astrakhan region, will soon be held in the Ukrainian town of Feodosiya, Crimea.
"The tests were relocated from Akhtubinsk to Feodosiya because the Russian Air Force impedes timely accomplishment of the AN-70 joint state tests. Therefore the Ukrainian party plans to arrange flight and certification tests at facilities of the Defense Ministry flight-research center in Feodosiya in accordance with a specially developed program," a source in the Russian defense industry told Interfax-Military News Agency on Wednesday.
He said that in compliance with the state test program, the AN-70 is supposed to be taking tests in Akhtubinsk where the state flight-research center of the Defense Ministry is situated. The plane is supposed to be tested on a special measured unpaved runway to determine its takeoff and landing characteristics on unpaved airfields.
The source said that funds are provided for building one AN- 70 plane at the Omsk-based Polyot Production Association in the framework of the ongoing adjustment of the state defense order.
He added that a few dozen millions of rubles were allocated from the Russian budget for the AN-70 flight tests in 2003, but the agreement on arranging the tests has not been concluded, mainly because of counteraction from the Russian Air Force management.
"A pause in the AN-70 program accomplishment may hurt the plane's export deliveries," the source said.
According to him, "Hungary has recently confirmed its intention to buy two such craft, and the Czech Republic wishes to buy three AN-70."
"Russia's effective withdrawal from the program of the plane's supplies to national air forces stimulates the Ukrainian party to search for partners independently. Ukraine has made appropriate proposals to some Western European countries and China," the source said.
He did not exclude that "Ukraine will join the West European program of the A400M plane creation to a certain extent, in particular, as far as creation of the engine for this aircraft is concerned."