UAC denies plans to replace An-124 heavy airlifter.

The United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) does not currently plan to design a super heavy airlifter to replace An-124 Ruslan, the corporation said. Media reports previously said the corporation plans to produce a rough design of the super heavy military-transport aircraft (STVTS) to replace Ruslan whose production stopped close to ten years ago.

A Russian An-124 Ruslan strategic airlifter in Moscow' sky
(Credit: Russian MoD)

Russia's United Aircraft Corporation will design a super-heavy transport aircraft this year to replace the An-124 "Ruslan," Sputnik news agency reported Tuesday.

The company will first conduct a feasibility study for the new plane to be approved by the Russian Industry and Trade Ministry, the news agency quoted the corporation's annual report as saying.

"No rough design of an aircraft to replace An-124 is currently planned. In the framework of the STVTS program measures are developed to maintain the airworthiness of the fleet of An-124 and Il-76. As for the medium airlifter, the Ilyushin Company is designing Il-276. It has to replace An-12 with a lifting capacity of close to 20 tons," UAC said.

An-124 transports large-size cargoes, military hardware and personnel. Maximum payload is 120 tons. Maximum speed is 865 km/h, the full load range is 4.8 thousand kilometers. The Military Balance said the Russian Aerospace Forces operate nine An-124. Another 10 Ruslan are operational in the Volga-Dnepr Airlines.