Antonov Suspends An-132D Development Partnership With Saudi Arabia; India Likely To Be New Choice

Aleksander Donets, the president of Ukraine's only aircraft manufacturer Antonov, confirmed in an interview with a local Ukrainian daily UNIAN that it has suspended its project with Saudi Arabia on the An-132D multi-purpose transport project, reports Defence News.

The development of the aircraft was announced in February 2015 after an agreement was signed between the company and Saudi Arabia's King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) and Taqnia Aeronautics. Subsequently, the first trials for the prototype began in the spring of 2017.

The initial batch 20 aircrafts was supposed to be assembled at the Antonov factory in Ukraine, with series manufacturing then taking place at a bespoke plant in Saudi Arabia. The beginning of mass production was scheduled for the end of 2021. Thus, Saudi Arabia was supposed to be the launch customer of the aircraft which was assumed to be used for both, military and commercial purposes.

Donets also shared that the partnership was suspended for reasons not related to the Antonov state enterprise. He also added that the project was not being scrapped and that his company was looking for both a new customer and a partner.

It should be noted here that earlier this year, the first deputy secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Oleg Gladkovsky was reportedly discussing the opportunities relating to An-132 with representatives from the India's Ministry of Defence at the aviation exhibition Aero India- 2019.