Antonov An-22

Antonov An-22
Name	An-22
Type	Heavy strategic airlifter
Manufacturer	Antonov
Designer	Oleg Antonov
First flight	27 February 1965
Introduced	1967
Retired	2004 (Russian Air Force)
Primary user	Soviet Air Forces
Number built	68
Status	Limited service

Antonov An-22. The Antonov An-22 "Antei" (NATO reporting name Cock) is a heavy strategic airlifter designed by the Soviet Union's Antonov Design Bureau. It was the world's largest aircraft until the advent of the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, and remains the largest turboprop-powered aircraft ever built. Primarily used by the Soviet Air Forces and Aeroflot, the An-22 set numerous world records and played a crucial role in Soviet military logistics and humanitarian missions.

Development and design

The development of the An-22 was initiated under the leadership of chief designer Oleg Antonov in the early 1960s to fulfill a requirement for a heavy airlifter capable of transporting oversized military equipment, such as ICBMs and armoured vehicles, across the vast territories of the Soviet Union. The design featured a high-wing configuration with a unique double-tail, a rear loading ramp, and was powered by four massive Kuznetsov NK-12MA turboprop engines, each driving contra-rotating propellers. Its robust landing gear, consisting of three multi-wheel bogies, allowed operations from unpaved and austere airstrips, a critical capability for supporting forward-deployed forces. The aircraft's cavernous cargo hold, pressurized only in the forward sections for crew and personnel, was engineered to accommodate outsized loads like the T-62 tank or major components of the Strategic Rocket Forces' missile systems.

Operational history

Entering service with the Soviet Air Forces in 1967, the An-22 quickly became a workhorse for strategic airlift, frequently deployed to support Soviet allies during events like the Arab-Israeli conflict and operations in Afghanistan. It also served with the state airline Aeroflot for civilian cargo operations. The type gained international fame by setting multiple payload-to-height world records, solidifying the prestige of Soviet aviation. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, most aircraft were transferred to the Russian Air Force and Ukrainian Air Force, with their use declining due to high operating costs. The An-22 provided critical heavy lift support for United Nations humanitarian missions in the 1990s and saw limited commercial use with operators like Antonov Airlines before being largely retired from Russian service by 2004.

Variants

The primary production model was the An-22, used by both military and civilian operators. The An-22A was an upgraded version featuring improved avionics and systems. A proposed variant, the An-22PZ, was intended as a carrier aircraft for the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-105 spaceplane as part of the Soviet space program, but this project was not realized. Several airframes were converted into flying laboratories for testing new engines and systems for other Antonov projects, including the Antonov An-124.

Operators

The principal military operator was the Soviet Air Forces, with later inheritance by the Russian Air Force and the Ukrainian Air Force. The sole civilian state operator was the Soviet flag carrier Aeroflot. After the Soviet era, a small number of aircraft saw service with commercial cargo carriers, most notably the Ukrainian-based Antonov Airlines, which operated the type for specialized heavy lift tasks before retiring its last example.

Specifications (An-22)

* Crew: 5–6 * Length: 57.9 m (190 ft) * Wingspan: 64.40 m (211 ft 3 in) * Height: 12.53 m (41 ft 1 in) * Empty weight: 114,000 kg (251,327 lb) * Max takeoff weight: 250,000 kg (551,156 lb) * Powerplant: 4 × Kuznetsov NK-12MA turboprop engines, 11,030 kW (14,795 shp) each * Maximum speed: 740 km/h (460 mph, 400 kn) * Range: 5,000 km (3,100 mi, 2,700 nmi) with max payload * Service ceiling: 7,500 m (24,600 ft) * Payload: 80,000 kg (176,370 lb)

Accidents and incidents

The operational career of the An-22 was marked by several notable accidents. In July 1992, an An-22 of the Russian Air Force crashed near Migalovo after an engine fire, resulting in fatalities. Another significant crash occurred in December 2010, when an An-22 operated by the Russian Air Force went down near Krasny Oktyabr during a training flight, killing all on board. These incidents, often attributed to the age of the airframes and complex engine systems, contributed to the type's eventual phase-out from active military service.

Category:Soviet military transport aircraft 1960–1969 Category:Antonov aircraft Category:Four-engined turboprop aircraft