An Indian Air Force An-32 Saudi based Taqnia Aeronautics and Ukranian Antonov has signed a agreement to develop and manufacture light ...
 |
| An Indian Air Force An-32 |
Saudi based Taqnia Aeronautics and Ukranian Antonov has signed a agreement to develop and manufacture light transport plane named Antonov-132 in Saudi Arabia.
The An-132 design will be based on the current An-32 airlfiter with significantly improved capabilities and modern avionics system.
According to the agreement, King Abdulaziz City for science and technology (KACST), Taqnia Aeronautics and Antonov will develop the An-32 to add additional capabilities to the aircraft's payload, range and takeoff. The cockpit will be upgraded with sophisticated U.S. made navigation devices.
Saudi Arabia will own the intellectual property rights and the engineering designs of the aircraft.
The joint venture company will be the first aircraft manufacturing unit in the Kingdom. The purpose of the agreement is to kikstart aviation industry in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi personnels will be trained by Ukrainian experts in the field of aviation industry, and the employees will be limited to Saudi and Ukrainian nationality. Qualified Saudis will be attracted from universities and institutes.
The An−32 was selected after studying the needs of Saudi Arabia and the international market for light transport aircraft in the military and civil sectors.
The Soviet era An-32 is basically a re-engined An-26 designed specifically to meet Indian Air Force requirements. The high placement of the engine nacelles above the wing allowed for larger diameter propellers, which are driven by 5,100 hp rated AI-20 turboprop engines, providing almost twice the power of An-26.
Ukraine is known to provide aerospace technologies easily which other countries find difficult to share. The country inheritied a no of aerospace companies after the break up of Soviet Union in 1991. Even though, their technology is not advanced as its U.S. and European counterparts, but are still capable and dependable.
