Successful First Flight of the Saudi-Ukrainian An-132 Aircraft
The new EW aircraft, alongside the upgraded E-3 AWACS, are part of the modernization process of the Saudi Arabian armed forces in response to the growing Iranian threat in the region
Dr. Shaul Shay
| 05/04/2017
On April 1, 2017, the Saudi-Ukrainian military aircraft Antonov AN-132, successfully performed its first flight. The aircraft was built in cooperation between the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, represented in Taqnia Aeronautics Company, and the Ukrainian Antonov Aircraft Manufacturing Company.
Taqnia Aeronautics Company is owned by the Public Investment Fund, which is supervised by the Council of Economic and Development Affairs. The company works on developing technology in different fields in the kingdom in order to support and improve the national economy.
The Saudi kingdom owns 50% of the intellectual property related to manufacturing the aircraft, adding that there have been requests to buy this aircraft but they will not be announced yet.
The aircraft production will take place at the Taqnia Aeronautics facility in Saudi Arabia, which is an element of the Kingdom’s diversification plan, realized by the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) facility.
The Saudi armed forces are expected to procure a minimum of six An-132s, four of which would be configured for search-and-rescue operations and two for electronic warfare operations.
Milestones of the Project
The Ukrainian and the Saudi companies began negotiations on the aircraft in 2015.
On February 21, 2016, Mykhaylo Gvozdov, President of Antonov Company, and Ali Mohammed Al−Ghamdi, CEO of Saudi Arabian Taqnia Aeronautics Co., signed a cooperation agreement for the establishment of an aircraft manufacturing complex and AN−132 production in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The AN-132 was unveiled in December 2016.
The AN-132 successfully performed its first flight in April 2017.
The AN-132
The AN-132 is equipped with Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150 engines, with six-bladed Dowty Propellers Company R408 propellers, the fully digital avionics system is going to be delivered by Honeywell, while the life support system is to be provided by the Liebherr company.
The aircraft’s weight is 28 tons and the maximum load it can carry is 9.2 tons. while carrying this maximum load it can fly at an altitude of 28 thousand feet at a speed of 550 kilometers per hour and cross a distance of 1,279 kilometers. It can cover the distance of 4,500 kilometers when not carrying anything. It is designed for military and civilian operations.
The aircraft is light in weight and it can drop paratroopers and military equipment, transfer wounded people from the battlefield, perform medical and civil evacuation, put out fires, carry lightweight missiles and machine guns, use aerial photography and carry electronic war devices.
The new electronic warfare aircraft can counter airborne warning and control system planes, air defense systems and manned and unmanned aircraft. According to the designers, the new electronic warfare (EW) aircraft, which is based on the An-132 light multi-mission transport aircraft, can counter airborne warning and control system planes, air defense systems and manned and unmanned aircraft. It is still unclear who provides Saudi Arabia with the plane's radar and electronic warfare suit.
Summary
Saudi Arabia is the world’s fourth largest defense spender at $87.2 billion a year. The majority of its acquisitions are imported, mainly from the United States and Britain.
Mohammed ibn Salman, the Defense Minister and Deputy Crown Prince, stated, “Does it make sense that we are the world’s fourth latest military spender in 2014 and third in 2015 and we do not even have a local military industry?"
Under the “Vision 2030” program, aiming to re-orient the Saudi economy for a post-oil world, Saudi Arabia is seeking to source at least 50% of its defense acquisitions from its domestic industry by 2030. The Antonov AN-132 project is part of this new strategy.
The Saudi-Ukrainian military and technological cooperation is also a political message to Russia that took the side of the Saudi foes in the conflict in Syria.
Saudi Arabia has operated five E3, AWACS airplanes since the mid-1980. The new An-132 EW aircraft will not replace the American E-3 AWACS. The new EW airplanes will be used mainly in tactical missions and will be a complimentary asset to the strategic capabilities of the E-3. The new EW airplanes alongside the upgraded E3s are part of the modernization process of the Saudi Arabian armed forces in response to the growing Iranian threat in the region.
The new EW aircraft, alongside the upgraded E-3 AWACS, are part of the modernization process of the Saudi Arabian armed forces in response to the growing Iranian threat in the region
On April 1, 2017, the Saudi-Ukrainian military aircraft Antonov AN-132, successfully performed its first flight. The aircraft was built in cooperation between the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, represented in Taqnia Aeronautics Company, and the Ukrainian Antonov Aircraft Manufacturing Company.
Taqnia Aeronautics Company is owned by the Public Investment Fund, which is supervised by the Council of Economic and Development Affairs. The company works on developing technology in different fields in the kingdom in order to support and improve the national economy.
The Saudi kingdom owns 50% of the intellectual property related to manufacturing the aircraft, adding that there have been requests to buy this aircraft but they will not be announced yet.
The aircraft production will take place at the Taqnia Aeronautics facility in Saudi Arabia, which is an element of the Kingdom’s diversification plan, realized by the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) facility.
The Saudi armed forces are expected to procure a minimum of six An-132s, four of which would be configured for search-and-rescue operations and two for electronic warfare operations.
Milestones of the Project
The Ukrainian and the Saudi companies began negotiations on the aircraft in 2015.
On February 21, 2016, Mykhaylo Gvozdov, President of Antonov Company, and Ali Mohammed Al−Ghamdi, CEO of Saudi Arabian Taqnia Aeronautics Co., signed a cooperation agreement for the establishment of an aircraft manufacturing complex and AN−132 production in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The AN-132 was unveiled in December 2016.
The AN-132 successfully performed its first flight in April 2017.
The AN-132
The AN-132 is equipped with Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150 engines, with six-bladed Dowty Propellers Company R408 propellers, the fully digital avionics system is going to be delivered by Honeywell, while the life support system is to be provided by the Liebherr company.
The aircraft’s weight is 28 tons and the maximum load it can carry is 9.2 tons. while carrying this maximum load it can fly at an altitude of 28 thousand feet at a speed of 550 kilometers per hour and cross a distance of 1,279 kilometers. It can cover the distance of 4,500 kilometers when not carrying anything. It is designed for military and civilian operations.
The aircraft is light in weight and it can drop paratroopers and military equipment, transfer wounded people from the battlefield, perform medical and civil evacuation, put out fires, carry lightweight missiles and machine guns, use aerial photography and carry electronic war devices.
The new electronic warfare aircraft can counter airborne warning and control system planes, air defense systems and manned and unmanned aircraft. According to the designers, the new electronic warfare (EW) aircraft, which is based on the An-132 light multi-mission transport aircraft, can counter airborne warning and control system planes, air defense systems and manned and unmanned aircraft. It is still unclear who provides Saudi Arabia with the plane's radar and electronic warfare suit.
Summary
Saudi Arabia is the world’s fourth largest defense spender at $87.2 billion a year. The majority of its acquisitions are imported, mainly from the United States and Britain.
Mohammed ibn Salman, the Defense Minister and Deputy Crown Prince, stated, “Does it make sense that we are the world’s fourth latest military spender in 2014 and third in 2015 and we do not even have a local military industry?"
Under the “Vision 2030” program, aiming to re-orient the Saudi economy for a post-oil world, Saudi Arabia is seeking to source at least 50% of its defense acquisitions from its domestic industry by 2030. The Antonov AN-132 project is part of this new strategy.
The Saudi-Ukrainian military and technological cooperation is also a political message to Russia that took the side of the Saudi foes in the conflict in Syria.
Saudi Arabia has operated five E3, AWACS airplanes since the mid-1980. The new An-132 EW aircraft will not replace the American E-3 AWACS. The new EW airplanes will be used mainly in tactical missions and will be a complimentary asset to the strategic capabilities of the E-3. The new EW airplanes alongside the upgraded E3s are part of the modernization process of the Saudi Arabian armed forces in response to the growing Iranian threat in the region.
