MOSCOW. Dec 6 (Interfax-AVN) - A mock-up commission will start analyzing the conceptual design and mock-up of the IL-116V light military transport plane in December, a source in the Russian defense industry told Interfax-Military News Agency on Monday.
"The plane's developer, the Ilyushin aircraft corporation, will hand over to the Voronezh aircraft plant the set of design and technical documentation on the IL-112V next year," the source said.
He noted that the Voronezh plant will produce the experimental batch of IL-112V planes and subsequently launch their mass production.
The IL-112V prototype will make its maiden flight in 2006, the source said.
"The Defense Ministry covers about 30 percent of expenses on research and development work related to the plane," he went on.
"The Defense Ministry suggests that the developer cover 70 percent of expenses on research and development out of its own funds and loans," he said.
"It is expected that the Defense Ministry will cover expenses of the developer and production plant on research and development by procuring serial planes," he said.
The IL-112V is designed to replace the obsolete AN-24T Coke and AN-26 Curl fleet. The Russian Air Force and other uniformed agencies need about 200 such aircraft.
The IL-112V is going to be superior to both Russian and foreign similarities (AN-26 and CN-235) in terms of flight range and speed, as well as would be capable of taking off and landing on short runways no longer than 800-1,000 m. With the fuel consumption 2.4 times as effective as that of the AN-26, the would-be military transport is likely to lift 6,000 kg of payload.
The prototype is to be assembled in 2006. Mass-production of the aircraft will commence at the Voronezh JS in cooperation with other aircraft industry enterprises.