Antonov An-22
Encyclopedia
The Antonov An-22 Antei ( Antaeus
Antaeus
Antaeus in Greek and Berber mythology was a half-giant, the son of Poseidon and Gaia, whose wife was Tinjis. Antaeus had a daughter named Alceis or Barce.-Mythology:...
) (NATO reporting name "Cock") was the world's heaviest aircraft, until the advent of the American C-5 Galaxy
C-5 Galaxy
The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is a large military transport aircraft built by Lockheed. It provides the United States Air Force with a heavy intercontinental-range strategic airlift capability, one that can carry outsize and oversize cargos, including all air-certifiable cargo. The Galaxy has many...
and later the Soviet An-124. Powered by four pairs of contra-rotating
Contra-rotating propellers
Aircraft equipped with contra-rotating propellers, also referred to as coaxial contra-rotating propellers, apply the maximum power of usually a single piston or turboprop engine to drive two propellers in contra-rotation...
turboprop
Turboprop
A turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
s, the design remains the world's largest turboprop-powered aircraft. It first appeared outside the Soviet Union at the 1965 Paris Air Show
Paris Air Show
The Paris Air Show is the world's oldest and largest air show. Established in 1909, it is currently held every odd year at Le Bourget Airport in north Paris, France...
.
Design and development
In the late 1950s the Soviet Union had a requirement for a large military transport aircraft to supplement the Antonov An-8Antonov An-8
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Lake, Jon. "Antonov's An-8 Camp: The Little Known Pioneer". Air International, September 2004, Vol 67 No 3. pp. 24–27....
and An-12
Antonov An-12
The Antonov An-12 is a four-engined turboprop transport aircraft designed in the Soviet Union. It is the military version of the Antonov An-10.-Design and development:...
s then entering service. Originally known as the An-20 it was a conventional multi-engined high-wing design. In the early 1960s the company produced a wooden mock up at the company workshops at Kiev of what was designated the Model 100. The prototype now designated the An-22 was rolled out 18 August 1964 and first flew on 27 February 1965. The prototype was given the name Antheus
Antheus
In Greek mythology, Antheus was:*A surname of Dionysus*Son of Agelaus and a soldier in the army of Dionysus*A youth of Halicarnassus who was loved and killed by Cleoboea *Father of Aegypius *A companion of Aeneas...
and after four-months of test flying was displayed at the 1965 Paris Air Show
Paris Air Show
The Paris Air Show is the world's oldest and largest air show. Established in 1909, it is currently held every odd year at Le Bourget Airport in north Paris, France...
. Production aircraft were built at the State Aircraft Factory in Tashkent and the first delivery was made to the Air Transport Wing at Ivanova Airbase in 1969.
The aircraft was designed as a strategic airlifter, designed specifically to expand the capability of the airborne troops
Airborne forces
Airborne forces are military units, usually light infantry, set up to be moved by aircraft and 'dropped' into battle. Thus they can be placed behind enemy lines, and have an ability to deploy almost anywhere with little warning...
to land with their then-new BMD-1
BMD-1
The BMD-1 is a Soviet airborne amphibious tracked infantry fighting vehicle, which was introduced in 1969 and first seen by the West in 1970. BMD stands for Boyevaya Mashina Desanta . It can be dropped by parachute and although it resembles the BMP-1 it is in fact much smaller...
armoured vehicles. The An-22 cargo hold can accommodate four of these as opposed to one in the An-12.
It also has the capability to takeoff from austere, unpaved and short airstrips, allowing airborne troops to perform air-landing operations
Landing operation
A landing operation is a military action aimed at a bringing the landing force usually via landing craft to a shore or to land with the purpose of power projection ashore by forces coming usually from ships and also aircraft and able to fight....
. This is achieved by four pairs of contra-rotating propellers
Contra-rotating propellers
Aircraft equipped with contra-rotating propellers, also referred to as coaxial contra-rotating propellers, apply the maximum power of usually a single piston or turboprop engine to drive two propellers in contra-rotation...
, similar to those on the Tupolev Tu-114
Tupolev Tu-114
The Tupolev Tu-114 Rossiya is a turboprop-powered long-range airliner designed by the Tupolev design bureau and built in the USSR from May 1955....
. The engines generate significant thrust, and produce a slipstream over the wings and large double-slotted flap
Flap (aircraft)
Flaps are normally hinged surfaces mounted on the trailing edges of the wings of a fixed-wing aircraft to reduce the speed an aircraft can be safely flown at and to increase the angle of descent for landing without increasing air speed. They shorten takeoff and landing distances as well as...
s. The landing gear
Landing Gear
Landing Gear is Devin the Dude's fifth studio album. It was released on October 7, 2008. It was his first studio album since signing with the label Razor & Tie. It features a high-profile guest appearance from Snoop Dogg. As of October 30, 2008, the album has sold 18,906 copies.-Track...
is ruggedized for rough airstrips, and, in early versions, tire pressures could be adjusted in flight for optimum landing performance, although that feature was removed in later models.
The An-22 follows traditional cargo transport design with a high-mounted wing allowing a cavernous cargo space of 33m in length and a usable volume of 639m³. The forward fuselage is fully pressurized and provides space for 5 to 8 crew and up to 28 passengers, but the cargo space is pressurized to only 3.55 PSI / 0.245 bar allowing for a lighter airframe. A door equipped pressure bulkhead is located at frame 14, separating the cargo attendant's compartment from the main cargo compartment. This allows the rear cargo doors to be opened during flight for paratroops and equipment drop. Like the An-12, the aircraft has a circular fuselage section. The An-22 has set a number of payload and payload-to-height world records.
The An-22 has the general appearance of an enlarged version of the earlier Antonov An-12
Antonov An-12
The Antonov An-12 is a four-engined turboprop transport aircraft designed in the Soviet Union. It is the military version of the Antonov An-10.-Design and development:...
except that it is fitted with a twin tail
Twin tail
A twin tail is a specific type of vertical stabilizer arrangement found on the empennage of some aircraft. Two vertical stabilizers — often smaller on their own than a single conventional tail would be — are mounted at the outside of the aircraft's horizontal stabilizer...
. This gives the An-22 better engine-out performance, and reduces height restrictions for hangars. Also of note are large anti-flutter masses on the top of each tail.
Only one production variant was built, the standard An-22. Prototypes, such as the one first featured at the 1965
1965 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1965:-January:* January 2 - Denis Healey, the United Kingdoms Secretary of Defence, cancels the nation's fighter and military transport programmes and orders the purchase of the US-built F-4 Phantom and C-130 Hercules in their place.* January 26 -...
Paris Air Show
Paris Air Show
The Paris Air Show is the world's oldest and largest air show. Established in 1909, it is currently held every odd year at Le Bourget Airport in north Paris, France...
had fully glazed noses that lacked the nose mounted radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
of production models. Those aircraft had the radar mounted below the right wheel well fairing, forward of the wheels. Antonov designated a variant with a modified electrical system and an additional augmented flight control system the An-22A but the designation was not used by the military.
Operational history
Soviet Air Force
The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces...
and Aeroflot
Aeroflot
OJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines , commonly known as Aeroflot , is the flag carrier and largest airline of the Russian Federation, based on passengers carried per year...
, the state airline. The conversion from An-12 in the Air Force began in July 1974. The 12th Mginsk Red Banner air transport aviation division (airbase Migalovo
Migalovo
Migalovo is an air base in Tver Oblast, Russia located 10 km west of Tver. It is a large military airlift base. It currently houses all of Russia's remaining Antonov An-22 fleet...
) was one of the units which had its three regiments entirely equipped with the An-22s. Another unit that operated it was the 566th 'Solnechnogorsk' Military Transport Aviation Regiment, which used the An-22 from 1970 to 1987.
The An-22s from Migalovo were used for the initial insertion of the VDV
VDV
The Russian Airborne Troops or VDV is a military branch of service of the Russian Military, on par with the Strategic Rocket Forces and the Russian Space Forces...
troops in to Kabul, Kandahar and Bagram during the 1979 Soviet war in Afghanistan
Soviet war in Afghanistan
The Soviet war in Afghanistan was a nine-year conflict involving the Soviet Union, supporting the Marxist-Leninist government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the Afghan Mujahideen and foreign "Arab–Afghan" volunteers...
. One An-22 was shot down near Kabul in 1984, killing 240 people. (except for it wasn't shot down - it remained operational until 1988, placed in storage thereafter and scrapped in 1997.) In 1980 one An-22 crashed at Vnukovo International Airport
Vnukovo International Airport
Vnukovo International Airport , is a dual runway international airport located southwest from the centre of Moscow, Russia. It is one of three major airports serving Moscow...
while two more crashed at Migalovo in 1992 and 1994.
In 1984 the military aircraft were used to deliver Mi-8
Mil Mi-8
The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship. The Mi-8 is the world's most-produced helicopter, and is used by over 50 countries. Russia is the largest operator of the Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopter....
helicopters to Ethiopia during drought relief operations.
In 1986 the aircraft of the 8th air transport aviation regiment from Migalovo were used to deliver materials for the containment of the Chernobyl disaster
Chernobyl disaster
The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine , which was under the direct jurisdiction of the central authorities in Moscow...
effects.
During 1987 the aircraft were used to deliver military equipment to Angola. A year later the military An-22s were used to deliver 15,000 tons and 1,000 personnel in aid of the relief of earthquake disaster in Armenia.
The An-22 aircraft were often seen at the Le Bourget Air Show
Paris Air Show
The Paris Air Show is the world's oldest and largest air show. Established in 1909, it is currently held every odd year at Le Bourget Airport in north Paris, France...
, and in 1988 delivered an engine from An-124 to the Farnborough Airshow.
An-22s were used to deliver internal security troops to many ethnic regional conflicts during and after the breakup of the Soviet Union, and during the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Germany, notably airlifting the 104th Guards Airborne Division. In 1995 they delivered the Russian peacekeeping contingent from the 98th airborne division to Bosnia - Herzegovina during the Bosnian War
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War or the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between April 1992 and December 1995. The war involved several sides...
.
Approximately 45 remained in service by the mid-1990s, mostly with the Russian Air Force, but these are slowly being replaced by the bigger turbofan-powered Antonov An-124
Antonov An-124
The Antonov An-124 Ruslan is a strategic airlift jet aircraft. It was designed by the Ukrainian SSR's Antonov design bureau, then part of the Soviet Union. It is the world's largest ever serially-manufactured cargo airplane and world's second largest operating cargo aircraft...
. The remaining An-22s appear to be operated by an independent military transport aviation squadron at Tver (Migalovo). Currently one An-22 is in use for civilian cargo duties with Antonov Airlines
Antonov Airlines
Antonov Airlines is a Ukrainian cargo airline. It operates international charter services in the world oversized cargo market. Its main base is Gostomel Airport near Kiev...
.
A proposed civil airliner version capable of seating 724 passengers on upper and lower decks was planned but wasn't constructed. (For comparison, a typical Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
can carry 400-500 passengers.)
Variants
An-22
- Prototypes built at Kiev-Svyatoshino with glass nose, three built.
An-22
- Initial production variant with external start system, 37 built at Tashkent.
An-22A
- Improved variant with air-start capability, modified electrical system, and updated radio and navigation equipment, 28 built at Tashkent.
An-22PZ
- Conversion of two An-22s to carry wing centre sections or outer wings of Antonov An-124 or An-224 externally above fuselage. Fitted with third centreline fin.
Incidents and Accidents
On December 28, 2010 RA-09343 of the Russian Air ForceRussian Air Force
The Russian Air Force is the air force of Russian Military. It is currently under the command of Colonel General Aleksandr Zelin. The Russian Navy has its own air arm, the Russian Naval Aviation, which is the former Soviet Aviatsiya Voyenno Morskogo Flota , or AV-MF).The Air Force was formed from...
crashed at Krasny Oktyabr
Krasny Oktyabr
-Places:*Krasny Oktyabr, Kurgan Oblast, an urban-type settlement in Kurgan Oblast, Russia*Krasny Oktyabr, Saratov Oblast, an urban-type settlement in Saratov Oblast, Russia...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
killing all twelve crew. The aircraft was on a positioning flight from Voronezh Airport to Tver-Migalovo Airport. The aircraft had been in storage since 2001 and was brought back into flying condition in January 2010.
As of January 2011 there have been 9 accidents with a total of 95 fatalities.
Civil
The Antonov design bureau retained the three prototype aircraft for use as special cargo transports. Two aircraft were modified to carry An-124 wings above the fuselage.In August 2006 a single Antonov An-22 aircraft remains in airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
service with Antonov Airlines
Antonov Airlines
Antonov Airlines is a Ukrainian cargo airline. It operates international charter services in the world oversized cargo market. Its main base is Gostomel Airport near Kiev...
.
- Air SofiaAir SofiaAir Sofia was an airline based in Sofia, Bulgaria. It operated charter flights to destinations in Europe, Africa, the Far East, South America and the Middle East. It also leased and wet leased aircraft to other airlines...
(leased)
- Antonov AirlinesAntonov AirlinesAntonov Airlines is a Ukrainian cargo airline. It operates international charter services in the world oversized cargo market. Its main base is Gostomel Airport near Kiev...
Specifications (An-22)
See also
Further reading
- Pyotr Butowski, 'Air Power Analysis – Russian Federation Part 2' in International Air Power Review, Volume 13, Summer 2004, AIRtime Publishing Inc., Norwalk, CT.