AN-178 Antonov

The Antonov An-178 is a project of medium-airlift military transport aircraft designed by the Ukrainian Antonov company and based on the Antonov An-158 (An-148-200). The An-178 was developed to replace outdated aircraft like the Antonov An-12, Antonov An-26 and Antonov An-32. The An-178 can be used in a range of missions including logistic support of troops, parachute drooping of cargoes at platforms or small troop divisions, carrying of injured personnel, and transportation of light vehicles. It can also be used to transport and deliver equipment and engines. The Antonov state enterprise began construction of first prototype of the An-178 cargo jet. Antonov has begun flight trials of its new An-178 transport aircraft, some five years after the development of type was first announced. On May 7, 2015, it performed its maiden flight, on May 13 the aircraft spent 5 hours 20 minutes in the air, and on May 14 – 4 hours 20 minutes. The AN-178 new transport actively started to perform a program of certification tests. In May 2015, Antonov Aviation and China’s Beijing A-Star Aerospace Technology Co. have signed a protocol on intentions after the maiden flight of a new Antonov cargo plane.The UAE and Azerbaijan have already expressed interest in the new cargo plane.