Не взлетевший наследник «Антея»: что известно об Ан-122 на новой технологической базе

At the sunset of the Soviet Union, it became obvious that the military transport aircraft "Antei", despite its outstanding characteristics and several records, needed deep modernization or replacement. At that time, the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy with a payload of about 120 tons became more relevant compared to the "Antei", which could carry up to 80 tons.

First Strokes

The "Antonov" Design Bureau began developing a project to modernize the "Anteis", including the installation of a swept wing and turbojet engines.

These works can be called insurance, since there was a resolution of the Central Committee of the CPSU to create an aircraft with a payload of 120 tons, which led to the emergence of the famous An-124 "Ruslan". However, if difficulties arose with the development of the "Ruslan", it was planned to quickly establish the production of the An-122.

As is known, the "Ruslan" turned out to be extremely successful, and the aircraft was put into mass production. As a result, the project to modernize the "Anteis" lost its relevance and was closed. However, this project was not worked out in detail. Today, it is not even possible to find drawings of this aircraft on the Web.

Lost the Competition

Directives were issued to the Kyiv Mechanical Plant, according to which it was required to create a turbojet aircraft that surpassed the American competitor in terms of characteristics.

Chief designer A. Ya. Belolipetsky headed a group of engineers who initially considered projects with a swept wing, T-tail, and four turbojet engines, while the fuselage of the An-22 remained the same.

Did Not Pass the Central Committee Sieve

Also, one of the project managers was N. M. Vorobyov, who in the second half of the 2010s headed the direction of drones.

Designated An-122, the new aircraft project allowed transporting 80 tons of cargo over a range of 3500 km. In October 1967, O. K. Antonov and V. F. Eroshin transferred the project to the Military-Industrial Commission under the Council of Ministers of the USSR, which was rejected because it did not provide significant advantages compared to the An-22 and still lagged behind its American competitor.

Earlier, www1.ru reported that the frigate "Admiral Golovko" launched a hypersonic "Zircon" in the Barents Sea at the suggestion of the Tu-142.

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