Antonov

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Antonov, aka Antonov Aeronautical Scientific/Technical Complex (Antonov ASTC) (Ukrainian: Авіаційний науково-технічний комплекс імені Антонова, АНТК ім. Антонова) is a Ukraine-based aircraft manufacturing and services company (design office prefix An) with particular expertise in the field of very large aircraft construction. Antonov's airplanes range from the rugged Antonov An-2 biplane (which itself is comparatively large for a biplane) through the Antonov An-28 reconnaissance aircraft to the massive Antonov An-124 and An-225 cargo carriers (the latter being the world's biggest aircraft in service). Whilst less famous, the Antonov An-24, An-26 and An-30 series of twin turboprop, high winged, passenger transport aircraft are important for domestic air services particularly in parts of the world once led by communist governments. The Antonov An-72 and An-74 series of small jetliners is slowly replacing that fleet and a larger Antonov An-70 freighter is under certification. The An-70 is outwardly similar to the Airbus A400M design that has yet to fly in Western Europe.

The company is named after Oleg Antonov, its founder and head designer of An-2, An-24, An-22 and other legendary planes.

It is important to note that Antonov company has no industrial possibilities for full-circle constructing of some models it designed. This is a result of Soviet industrial strategy aimed to split military production chains between different regions of USSR. It allowed to minimize potential war risks and prevent Soviet republics from developing self-sufficient economies. That is why many Antonov airplanes were usually constructed by aerospace companies in Kharkiv (Ukraine), Novosibirsk (Russia), and Tashkent (Uzbekistan).

Fields of commercial activity of Antonov ASTC include:

• Aircraft construction and manufacture
• Airfreight services (Antonov Airlines)
• Aircraft maintenance and upgrading
• Aerospace related engineering support
• Operation of the Gostomel airport (Antonov Airport)
• Trolley bus construction and manufacture (an apparent spin-off, using existing technical expertise).

Antonov ASTC is a state-owned commercial company.

Antonov aircraft

Major Antonov Aircraft:

• Antonov An-2
• Antonov An-8
• Antonov An-10
• Antonov An-12
• Antonov An-22
• Antonov An-24
• Antonov An-26
• Antonov An-28 / PZL M-28
• Antonov An-30
• Antonov An-32
• Antonov An-38
• Antonov An-70
• Antonov An-71
• Antonov An-72 / 74
• Antonov An-124
• Antonov An-140
• Antonov An-225

More Aircraft:

• Antonov A-2
• Antonov A-7
• Antonov A-40
• Antonov An-3
• Antonov An-4
• Antonov An-6
• Antonov An-14
• Antonov An-88
• Antonov An-148
• Antonov An-174
• Antonov An-180
• Antonov An-204
• Antonov An-218
• Antonov OKA-38
• Antonov SKV

See also:

• Antonov Airlines
• List of military aircraft of the Soviet Union and the CIS

External Links:

• Antonov ASTC (http://www.antonov.com/)
• Aircraft-Info.net - Antonov (http://www.aircraft-info.net/aircraft/jet_aircraft/antonov/)

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