If I recall correctly just one was built before the collapse of the USSR, and Ukraine could not afford to build any more. The design bureau was in Ukraine, so they had the facilities to buildTo be clear, it was parked at an airfield, not shot out of the sky.
Ukrainian state defense company Ukroboronprom, which manages Antonov, on Sunday issued a statement saying the aircraft had been destroyed but would be rebuilt at Russia's expense -- a cost it put at $3 billion.
"The restoration is estimated to take over 3 billion USD and over five years," the statement said. "Our task is to ensure that these costs are covered by the Russian Federation, which has caused intentional damage to Ukraine's aviation and the air cargo sector.
Are these things more expensive than the rather maligned first gen stealth bombers?
One was built, one has been half built for 30 years. It was built to transport the Buran, the Russian/Soviet Space Shuttle.If I recall correctly just one was built before the collapse of the USSR, and Ukraine could not afford to build any more. The design bureau was in Ukraine, so they had the facilities to build
To restore it would take a lot of custom fabrication as the original tooling has likely been sold long ago. It wont be rebuilt
They are not that expensive, but the factories that made them are not really in service anymore.To be clear, it was parked at an airfield, not shot out of the sky.
Ukrainian state defense company Ukroboronprom, which manages Antonov, on Sunday issued a statement saying the aircraft had been destroyed but would be rebuilt at Russia's expense -- a cost it put at $3 billion.
"The restoration is estimated to take over 3 billion USD and over five years," the statement said. "Our task is to ensure that these costs are covered by the Russian Federation, which has caused intentional damage to Ukraine's aviation and the air cargo sector.
Are these things more expensive than the rather maligned first gen stealth bombers?
Ralph Klein's ego?I saw it once in Calgary, I can't remember what it was picking up
The smaller AN-124 comes into Phoenix from time to time. I caught a fleeting glimpse of it taking off as I was riding my bike downtown, had to stop and pull up FlightRadar24 to confirm.That thing used to fly in and out of Tucson fairly regularly about 10 years back.