An-32 | |
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![]() An-32 of AirMark | |
General information | |
Type | Military transport aircraft |
National origin | Soviet Union/Ukraine |
Manufacturer | Aviant |
Designer | Antonov |
Status | In limited service |
Primary users | Indian Air Force |
Number built | 373 [1] |
History | |
Manufactured | 1982–2012 |
First flight | 9 July 1976 [2] |
Developed from | Antonov An-26 |
Developed into | Antonov/Taqnia An-132 |
The Antonov An-32 (NATO reporting name: Cline) is a turboprop twin-engined military transport aircraft. Its first flight was in July 1976 and displayed at the 1977 Paris Air Show. It is oriented towards flying in adverse weather conditions, and was produced from 1980 to 2012, and remains in service. It is the fourth member of the Antonov An-24 family, succeeding the An-24, An-30 and An-26, and coming before the canceled An-132.
The An-32 is essentially a re-engined An-26. It is designed to withstand adverse weather conditions better than the standard An-26. Announced at the May 1977 Paris Air Show, the An-32 is distinguished from its predecessor by engines raised 1.5 m above the wing in order to avoid foreign object damage on rough, unprepared air strips.
The type features high-lift wings with automatic leading-edge slats, large triple-slotted trailing edge flaps and an enlarged tailplane and a very large increase in power, giving improved take-off performance and service ceiling. The high placement of the engine nacelles above the wing allowed for larger diameter propellers, which are driven by 5,100 hp rated Ivchenko AI-20 turboprop engines, providing almost twice the power of the An-26's AI-24 powerplants. [3] [4]
Production from the Government Aircraft Factory in Kyiv, has included 123 aircraft for the Indian Air Force, which ordered the aircraft under strong foreign relations between then USSR leader Leonid Brezhnev and then India leader Indira Gandhi. [3] [4]
The majority of production has been for the Russian and Ukrainian Air Forces, with around 40 per year being built during the late 1980s to early 1990s. [3] The estimated price for a modernised An-32 version is 15 million US dollars. [4]
The last An-32 was produced in 2012.[ citation needed ]
Total | 1976 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 2005 | 2007 | 2008 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
373 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 29 | 31 | 26 | 54 | 28 | 48 | 11 | 49 | 47 | 10 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
The An-32 has outstanding takeoff characteristics in hot and high conditions, up to 55 °C (131 °F; 328 K) and 4,500 m (14,800 ft) elevation, and is suitable for use as a medium tactical military transport roles as well as commercial roles. Operating as a cargo transport over the short and medium range air routes, the An-32 is suitable for air-dropping cargo, passenger carrying, medevac, firefighting, skydiving or paratrooping roles.
The An-32 entered service in the 1980s and served with the air forces of Ukraine, Russia, Bangladesh Air Force, the Iraqi Air Force, the Mexican Air Force and the Sudanese Air Force.[ citation needed ]
Besides aircraft in service in the Ukrainian and Russian Air Forces, more than 240 An-32 aircraft are being operated in various countries around the world.
In July 2016, a total of 25 Antonov An-32 aircraft remained in airline service. The largest operator was Aero Transporte S.A (ATSA) of Peru with four aircraft. Some 16 other airlines operated smaller numbers of the type. [29] [30]
Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988–89 [46]
General characteristics
Performance
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
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