HomeGlobal Defence UpdatesRussia Projects 'Ruslan' Power! Conducts 'Synchronized Takeoffs' With Seven An-124-100 Heavy Aircraft

Russia Projects ‘Ruslan’ Power! Conducts ‘Synchronized Takeoffs’ With Seven An-124-100 Heavy Aircraft



In a landmark tactical flight exercise, the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out simultaneous takeoffs of seven An-124-100 Ruslan aircraft for the first time.

On December 16, the Ministry of Defense announced the exercise details. It also released a video displaying the synchronized takeoffs of the aircraft, followed by a controlled and smooth landing. 

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation said that the flights were conducted under the leadership of Aerospace Forces Military Transport Aviation Commander Lieutenant General Vladimir Benediktov.

According to the report, the Military Transport Aviation (BTA) Command of the Aerospace Forces executed a tactical flight exercise involving the crews of An-124-100 Ruslan aircraft. 

The exercise aimed to assess the preparedness of young military transport aircraft crews in simultaneously transporting military personnel, weapons, and equipment over extensive distances.

Follow IAMABIKER Google 1

The Defense Ministry added that Lieutenant General Vladimir Benediktov led the flights, with the participation of the BTA command leadership. 

The crews of the Ruslan aircraft practiced various maneuvers, including takeoffs, flights along prescribed routes, and landings within condensed time intervals.

The Ministry also added that despite challenging weather conditions such as precipitation, low clouds, and strong wind gusts, the flights were successfully carried out at altitudes exceeding 4,000 meters. 

The exercise covered a substantial total route distance exceeding 1,000 kilometers, with the aircraft maintaining an average speed of 500 km/h throughout the maneuvers.

Lieutenant General Vladimir Benediktov, the Aerospace Forces’ Military Transport Aviation commander, underscored that the exercises involved the active participation of young crews.

“Today, we can afford to conduct exercises in such a composition, part of the forces of newly formed crews, without distracting crews that already have extensive experience from performing their tasks,” he said.

An-124-100 Ruslan Aircraft

The An-124-100, known by its NATO reporting name Condor, is a massive cargo transport aircraft designed by Antonov ASTC based in Kyiv, Ukraine. 

Manufactured by Aviant State Aviation Plant in Kyiv and Aviastar in Ulyanovsk, Russia, this four-engine giant has become a crucial asset for Russia’s military capabilities due to its substantial load-carrying capacity and extensive range.

The Russian military routinely conducts exercises deploying forces and heavy equipment over long distances within the country. 

Follow IAMABIKER Google 1

The two manufacturing plants cumulatively produced 54 Antonov An-124 aircraft, with 18 completed in Kyiv and 36 in Ulyanovsk. 

The primary operator of the An-124 is the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS), boasting the largest fleet of these colossal transport aircraft, currently numbering 26. The VKS began integrating the An-124 into its fleet in 1987, with the last of the 26 aircraft arriving in 1991. 

1200 329089088
File Image

The widespread use of these aircraft by the VKS underscores their significance in supporting Russia’s strategic airlift capabilities, particularly for transporting heavy and oversized cargo over long distances.

The An-124’s origins trace back to the late 1970s when the Antonov Design Bureau in Kyiv, Ukraine, developed it to meet the Soviet Air Force’s need for a super-heavy transport aircraft. The design surpassed its US counterpart, the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, offering superior flight and load-carrying performance. 

The initial design proposed by Oleg Antonov in 1972 underwent significant advancements and evolved into a jet-powered machine resembling the C-5. 

Borrowing design elements like the upward-hinging nose and ‘kneeling’ landing gear for efficient loading, the An-124 featured technologies such as a supercritical wing profile and a fly-by-wire flight control system.

Equipped with Ivchenko-Progress D-18T high-bypass ratio turbofans, the An-124 represented a technological leap forward for the Soviet Union regarding heavy-lift capabilities. 

The large cargo hold of the Antonov An-124-100 Ruslan is designed to accommodate various military equipment efficiently.

Among the configurations possible, it can transport up to four helicopters, including Mi-24/28, Ka-52, or Mi-8 models. Alternatively, the cargo hold can house up to three Sukhoi Su-25 attack aircraft, Su-27/30/35 fighter jets, or MiG-29 fighters.  

However, maintaining the operational readiness of the Condor has presented challenges, leading to ongoing overhaul and upgrade efforts by local engineers spearheaded by Ilyushin, a Russian aircraft manufacturer. 

These upgrade initiatives aim to incorporate cutting-edge technologies from the Russian aerospace industry, enhancing the Condor’s capabilities, reliability, and durability. 

In October 2023, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu confirmed plans to upgrade the AN-124 fleet, intending to increase the long-range cargo plane fleet by 2025.

The ongoing upgrade efforts reflect a commitment to ensuring the An-124 remains a formidable asset in Russia’s military aviation inventory. 

RELATED ARTICLES

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Aatmanirbhar Bharat

All

US Senator’s Bill proposes limited exemption for India under Caatsa

US Republican Senator Marco Rubio has introduced a bill that provides a limited exemption for India from Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act for...

Defence building light tank for Army, first prototype realised: Govt on Proj ‘Zorawar’

New Delhi: The defence ministry is working on developing a light tank for the Indian Army for deployment at high-altitude area of the country,...

AMCA 5th Generation Stealth Fighter Updates

AMCA to be integrated with sophisticated indigenous Distributed Aperture System (DAS) that making it a formidable air asset for the Indian Air Force

Source : IgMp Bureau India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) is on the brink of a revolutionary transformation with the integration of a sophisticated Distributed...

AMCA to incorporate the best features of both 5th and 6th Generation fighters: ADA sources

Source : IgMp Bureau India's strides toward indigenous air dominance receive a substantial boost with the green signal for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA)...

Most Popular

Recent Comments

Archive Months

Miscellanous

US Army’s multidomain task force units could bring in allies, partners

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army’s multidomain task force units could see elements that include allies and partners, according to the head of U.S. Army...

BREAKING: IAF Rafales flew long-range mission and fought their way through a large force engagement over IOR

Source : Indian Defence Analysis BREAKING: IAF Rafales flew long-range mission and fought their way through a large force engagement over IOR As per an Indian...

Chinese embassy lauds Indian Coast Guard for carrying out mid-sea medical evacuation of its citizen

Source : Asian News International (ANI) Chinese embassy lauds Indian Coast Guard for carrying out mid-sea medical evacuation of its citizen New Delhi: The Chinese embassy lauded...

Malaysia and Indonesia to procure air-launched variants of BrahMos

Source : Janes [caption id="attachment_23505" align="aligncenter" width="600"] BrahMos Aerospace showcased a scaled version of the Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jet armed with three BrahMos cruise missiles at the DSA 2024 exhibition. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)[/caption] BrahMos Aerospace – a joint venture (JV) between India and Russia – has outlined its plans to export its supersonic cruise missiles to [...]
Visits
error: Content is protected !!