MOSCOW. Oct 6 (Interfax-AVN) - The state defense order for 2004 does not stipulate for state budget allocations on the production of the AN-70 military cargo aircraft.
"The budget for 2004 will only fund the R&D, which will not be enough to complete the joint state trials of the AN-70," a competent source in the Russian defense industry told Interfax- Military News Agency Monday.
He also said that to complete the R&D and joint state trials would cost USD86m.
According to the source, Russia's current debt on the program is USD48.2m.
"If Russia pays off this debt, the R&D and joint state trials could be finished sooner to begin serial production of the AN-70 in late 2004 to early 2005," the source said.
The source added that Russia is reluctant to pay off the debt primarily because of the Air Force's opinion that the new aircraft has some points not complying with the requirements specification.
The program for the AN-70 STOL military cargo aircraft has been implemented together by Russia and Ukraine on the basis of two intergovernmental agreements of June 24, 1993, and May 19, 1999. The state customers of the aircraft are Russian and Ukrainian defense ministries, and the head contractor is Antonov ANTK, Kyiv, Ukraine.
Under intergovernmental agreements, Russia and Ukraine are financing R&D related to the AN-70 in proportion to the number of planes they are planning to procure. Russia originally planned to buy 164 planes and Ukraine 65 planes, which corresponds to 72 and 28 percent of the R&D value. The plane's mass production will be handled by the Polyot production association in Russia's Omsk and by the Aviant aviation plant in Kyiv.
The AN-70 is powered by four D-27 engines developing 14,000hp each. The aircraft with a take-off weight of 130t is capable of airlifting up to 47t of cargo. Its maximum cruising speed is 750-800kmph. The plane's service life is 20,000 flights or 45,000 flight hours or 25 years in operation.