Defense Ministry Mulls An-26 Cargo Plane Replacement

The Russian Defense Ministry is considering two possible designs for a replacement for the obsolete Antonov An-26 military transport aircraft, a senior ministry official said on Monday.

The ministry is considering development of a light military transport plane based on the Antonov An-140 turboprop airliner made by Aviakor in Samara, or the rival Ilyushin Il-112V transport aircraft to be made by the Voronezh aircraft plant (VASO), Deputy Defense Minister Yury Borisov said.

He offered no indication when a final choice will be made, only saying the ministry is currently comparing the planes’ specifications.

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