Still a Chance for An-70

The aircraft design is already put up for an international tender involving FLA sketches based on the US C-17 and C-130J (Hercules) models. German leading manufacturer DASA (Daimler Benz Aerospace) has not as yet joined the consortium and its spokesman Gregor von Kursell told The Day that the company will join if at least another European state does. DASA has already tested the AN-70 as commissioned by the Bundeswehr, but the official findings have not been made public. Informed sources report that purchasing AN-70 has been found worthwhile after certain modifications; also, that the UK is not interested, and France is trying to push through its own FLA version, while Italy and Spain remain open to cooperation. Many in Germany believe that projects such as AN-7X would be much more useful than loans for Ukraine and Russia.