Aviation

The first An-178-100R military aircraft has been completed by Antonov.

The first An-178-100R military aircraft has been finished and will now face certification testing, according to Antonov State Enterprise.

According to the manufacturer, a total of 30 Ukrainian enterprises contributed to the creation of the new military plane, manufacturing 177 components.The Ukrainian government has ordered three new An178s early 2020. The company quoted the deputy commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, Yevhen Moisyuk, as saying, “The Armed Forces of Ukraine need contemporary military equipment that will boost our capabilities and strengthen national stability. I am confident that in the capable hands of our pilots, this plane, the AN-178, will deliver victory to Ukraine.”

The Antonov An-178 jet, which debuted in April 2015 and is patterned on the 99-seat An-158 regional airliner, is slated to replace obsolete military planes like the An-12, An-26, and An-32. The modern An-178 could compete with the Embraer KC-390.The Antonov An-178-100R transport plane is designed for troop transportation as well as the delivery of specific military cargo such as weaponry and other light equipment. When employed for medical evacuation operations, it can carry up to 86 fully prepared paratroopers and up to 100 people on board, including 40 people on conventional hygienic stretchers and 38 individuals flying on side seats followed by four paramedics

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Aviation

COMAC Unveils Plans for the C929 to Rival Airbus and Boeing

After the success of China’s first C919 aircraft, the country is setting its sights on developing a larger plane. COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China) has officially confirmed plans to build a widebody aircraft, marking a significant step in its aircraft lineup.

Traditionally, Airbus and Boeing dominate the widebody aircraft market, with decades of expertise in developing planes and engines capable of carrying heavy payloads. China, which currently relies on imported engines, is now aiming to challenge these giants with its own widebody jet, the C929, designed to compete with the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777.

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The C929 will be China’s first independently developed long-range widebody aircraft. It adheres to international airworthiness standards and boasts independent intellectual property rights. The baseline version is designed to seat 280 passengers and offers a range of 12,000 kilometers, catering to global demand for both regional and international air travel.

Russia, which also needs reliable narrowbody and widebody aircraft, could become a key customer for the C929. Additionally, China plans to target the broader Asian market as it continues to expand its aviation capabilities.

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China’s aviation progress includes the ARJ21 (now called C909), a regional jet with 100 seats for shorter routes, and the C919, a narrowbody jet with 180 seats designed to rival the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320. Both models have found increasing demand in the domestic market.

At China’s largest air show in Zhuhai, COMAC announced that Air China will be the launch customer for the C929 widebody jet, though details about order size and delivery timelines were not disclosed.

Other major deals announced by COMAC include:

Hainan Airlines: Firm orders for 60 C919 and 40 C909 regional jets.
Colorful Guizhou Airlines: 30 C909 jets, with 20 firm orders and 10 provisional agreements.

The C929, renamed from the CR929 after Russia withdrew from the joint development project in 2023, is expected to carry 280–400 passengers with a range of 12,000 kilometers, competing directly with Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.

According to COMAC’s deputy general manager, Tong Yu, the first fuselage section of the C929 is expected by September 2027, with prototype test flights anticipated soon after.