OREANDA-NEWS. October 1, 2012. Russian Machines Corporation and ANTONOV Company signed a Protocol on cooperation in the sphere of AN-140 aircraft program development at “Aviacor” plant at the international air show AVIASVIT-XXI.

The program of AN-140 aircraft production development at “Aviacor” is scheduled for 5 years. In particular, it includes re-equipment and modernization of the enterprise facilities in order to launch a full-scale serial production, improvement of production cooperation with subcontractors as well as optimization of components provision system.

Within the limits of a joint work it is planned to develop and launch production of transport, cargo, ambulance and cartographical versions of AN-140 as well as passenger airplanes of this type with increased capacity.

Another priority direction of the program will be digital technology implementation at all stages of AN-140 and its

modifications’ life cycle.

At the signing ceremony, Sergei Likharev, Aviation business director of “Russian Machines” Corporation, Chairman of board of “Aviacor” plant, said: “During recent years, our business of aircraft construction represented by “Aviacor” plant achieved onsiderable success. However, the increase in AN-140 production and new customers’ demands require to re-equip and to upgrade facilities, to increase labor productivity and to develop new modifications of the aircraft. Fulfillment of these tasks is impossible without widening and deepening of cooperation with ANTONOV Company as well as with the other enterprises of Ukrainian aircraft industry”.

Dmytro Kiva, President – General Designer of ANTONOV Company, noted: “Signing of this protocol is a part of our cooperation policy with Russian partners, aimed to achieve maximum economic efficiency for each project. The measures will provide, in particular, reduction of labor costs and the cost of the aircraft, and acceleration of airplanes delivery pace. The protocol is a starting point of a big cooperation program, which will develop AN-140 family, aimed for regional airlines mostly of the CIS countries”.