China and Ukraine have signed a agreement to revive production of the world heaviest aircraft, the An-225 Mriya transport plane.
China and Ukraine have signed a agreement to revive production of the world heaviest aircraft, the An-225 Mriya transport plane.
The six engined An-225 have the world's largest payload capacity of 250 tonnes. Only one aircraft was completed in 1988, which is currently operated by Antonov Airlines to transport outsized cargo around the world.
The agreement was signed between Ukraine's Antonov and Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). The first phase of the program will complete the production of the second An-225 airframe to be operated by Chinese operator. The airframe was not completed due to lack of funds.
Under the second phase of the program, the An-225 will be serially produced in China with complete transfer of technology by Antonov.
The airlifter was originally built to transport the Soviet Buran spacecraft and large parts of its Energiya booster rocket.
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| The partially completed second airframe at Antonov's Kiev plant. |
The An-225 holds the world record for the heaviest payload of 253.82 tonnes. The aircraft began commercial operation in 2001, after being mothballed for eight years following the collapse of Soviet Union.
With a maximum take off weight of 640 tonnes, the Mriya is powered by six Progress D-18T turbofan engines.
