Russia bails on Ukrainian An-70 project involving Motor Sich

The Russian Federation government decided to withdraw its participation in An-70 transport aircraft shakedown flights, forcing the plane’s designer, Kyiv-based Antonov, to suspend pre-production tests, the company announced on April 11. Russia opted out of the joint program in November 2012 without giving any official notification to Ukrainian partners, Antonov said.

Roman Dmytrenko: Considering that the Russian Defense Ministry was the plane’s only large potential customer, its walkout effectively means no mass production of the An-70 in the foreseeable future. That’s further proven by the fact that Ukraine’s Antonov decided not to carry out the shakedown flights.The news is negative for Motor Sich (MSICH UK), the An-70’s engine supplier.