Antonov State Enterprise announced it completed the final construction of the first An-178-100R military aircraft which is now set to undergo certification testing.
The new generation Antonov An-178-100R transport aircraft is dedicated to the transportation of troops as well as for the delivery of special military goods such as weapons or other light equipment. It can fly as much as 86 fully equipped paratroopers, and up to 100 people on board when used for operations of medical evacuation operations, including 40 people on standard sanitary stretchers and 38 people flying on side seats accompanied by 4 paramedics.
According to the manufacturer, a total of 30 Ukrainian companies contributed to the construction process, having manufactured 177 components for the new military plane.
Three new An-178s were ordered by the Ukrainian government in 2020.
“The Armed Forces of Ukraine need modern military equipment that will increase our capabilities and strengthen national stability,” the deputy commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Yevhen Moisyuk, was quoted in the manufacturer’s statement. “I am sure that this plane, AN-178, in the skillful hands of our pilots will bring victory to Ukraine.”
The Antonov An-178 aircraft, which was first rolled out in April 2015 and is based on the 99-seat An-158 regional airliner, is proposed to replace outdated military aircraft such as the An-12, An-26, and An-32. The new An-178 comes as a potential rival for the Embraer KC-390.