The powerful consortium, Airbus Industry, uniting the efforts of European aircraft companies in developing the new FLA military cargo plane, does not want the responsibility of promoting it if based on the Ukrainian AN-70 model. A statement to this effect was made at a meeting of the consortium’s coordinating council, in the presence of Ukrainian and Russian representatives. The meeting was to continue discussing the possibilities of joint work, considering the existing AN-70 analog.
At a news conference in Kyiv, Deputy Minister for Industrial Policy Vasyl Hureyev explained Airbus Industry’s refusal by the fact that the consortium is not yet institutionally and technically prepared to head the AN-70 joint project on a commercial basis. However, this by no means indicates that the Ukrainian plane fails to meet certain requirements. To the contrary, AN-70’s characteristics are superior to all potential rivals.
The initiative lost by AI was picked by Germany’s Daimler Benz Aerospace (DASA) and from now on it will be the principal expediter of the AN-70 project in Europe. Among other things, it is planned to adapt the Ukrainian aircraft model to NATO military standards and develop technical documents in keeping with European standards.
Whether Europe will fly Ukrainian or other planes in the next millennium depends on the results of next year’s tender. Three planes are expected to be offered, namely the US C0130J, the consortium’s child, FLA, and an AN-70-based aircraft.
Europe’s potential aircraft market is estimated at 300 models of this class. Mr. Hureyev is convinced that, pressure from the manufacturers notwithstanding, every customer will look to his wallet in the first place. A single US plane sells at $200 million and AN-70 at $60-70 million.
Previously, many in Ukraine took a dim view of AN-70s being assembled elsewhere in Europe. Has this stand changed in view of the latest negotiations? Mr. Hureyev told The Day that the plane will be assembled in Ukraine and probably in Germany as well, but “the allocation of works, cooperation, and the attendant commissions for national aircraft enterprises will be subject to detailed talks only if and when we win the tender.”
- N.B.: Petro Balabuyev, Director General of the ANTK Antonov Aircraft Design Bureau, President of the Ukrainian-Russian Medium Cargo Plane Consortium, states that the US will submit to the tender the Ci-130G and Ci-17 models costing over $200 million each, while serially manufactured AN-70 planes will cost $60-70 million each. He adds that the Ukrainian-Russian Consortium stocks are allocated 50:50%, despite the fact that Russia is financing 80% of the work. He also thinks that AN-70 market capacities will amount to more than 1,000 aircraft for the next 30-50 years, stressing that the plane’s destiny depends on how quickly Ukraine launches its serial output.
President Kuchma intends to have a telephone conversation with Russian President Yeltsin, to discuss a number of bilateral issues, including the AN-70 project. Mr. Kuchma made this known at a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeni Primakov last Wednesday in Kyiv. The Ukrainian President will propose a Ukrainian-Russian-German memorandum stipulating project conditions.






