The Antonov An-70 military airlifter enters service with Ukrainian Armed Forces

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World Defense & Security News - Ukraine
 
 
The Antonov An-70 military airlifter enters service with Ukrainian Armed Forces
 
The Antonov An-70 military transport aircraft has entered service with the Ukrainian Armed Forces, general staff has reported yesterday, January 20. The Antonov State Enterprise (Kyiv) finished joint state tests of An-70 modernized medium transport short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft in April 2014.
     
The Antonov An-70 military transport aircraft has entered service with the Ukrainian Armed Forces, general staff has reported yesterday, January 20. The Antonov State Enterprise (Kyiv) finished joint state tests of An-70 modernized medium transport short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft in April 2014. Antonov An-70 medium transport short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft
     
The An-70 is a four-engine medium range military transport aircraft designed and manufactured by the Ukrainian aviation company Antonov. The An-70 belongs to a new generation of short takeoff and landing tactical medium military transports.

The An-70 can perform the typical transport missions (transportation of 20t payload at a max range of 3,000 km) from unpaved airfield of 600-800 m length only. According to the design estimations, the An-70 can be operated from elevated airfields placed at altitudes up to 3,000 m.

Four D-27 engines with SV-27 counter-rotating propfans ensure a high cruising speed and 20-30% fuel economy in comparison with modern turbojet airplanes.

The built-in aerial delivery system ensures autonomous loading/unloading of a wide range of cargoes and their air dropping. The onboard loading equipment consists of four overhead rail electric motor hoists and two onboard electric winches. At customer request, the aircraft can be equipped with easily removable upper deck or roller conveyer to automate container handling operations.

Onboard monitoring and diagnostic systems make possible the autonomous operation of the AN-70 aircraft from poorly equipped airfields without the need for any special ground facilities. Aircraft maintenance is based on the “on-condition” strategy.

The AN-70 is fitted with modern electronic equipment and systems of fully digital control.