Ukraine to build An-74 aircraft for Kazakhstan
By Kamila Aliyeva
The Kharkov aircraft factory will build an An-74 aircraft for Kazakhstan. This was stated by the general director of the enterprise Alexander Krivokon, Kazinform reported.
The customer has already paid $15 million for the aircraft, but has not received it yet.
Krivokon informed about his meeting with representatives of the newly established Ministry of the Military Industry of Kazakhstan.
"We have finalized the contract and agreed that the production of the aircraft will go through a tolling scheme, while Ukrspetsexport will be the guarantor of completion. It is expected that the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) will allocate money for the next year under the contract. We will begin assembling the aircraft at the end of the summer, and in September 2018 it is planned to release it. Then other orders for four more aircrafts for Kazakhstan are expected," Krivokon said.
He also stressed that there are two more AN-140 at the plant.
"If we fail to sell them, it is planned to complete them with the help of a domestic carrier and launch them on flights," Krivokon added.
New planes are expected to contribute to Kazakhstan's air safety record, which in recent years has been a cause of concern. There have been several crashes including the one in December 2012 that killed the border guard chief and 26 others. In January 2013 there was another plane crash (SCAT) that killed 20 more people.
Kazakhstan has airports in Shimkent, Atbasar, Karaganda, Kyzyl-Orda, Balkhash, Burundai, Zaisan, Petropavlovsk, Semipalatinsk, Ust-kamenogorsk, Uralsk, Taldy-Kurgan, Kokshetau, Pavlodar, Zhezkazgan, Atyrau, Zhambyl, Zhairem, Ekibastuz, Almaty, Aktau, Kostanay, Aktyubinsk, Arkalyk, and Astana cities.
Kazakhstan's existing airlines are Air Astana, Air Company MEGA, Avia Jaynar, Bek Air, Berkut Air, Euro-Asia Air, Excellent Glide, Irtysh-Air, SCAT, Semeyavia, Zhetysu, and Zhezkazgan Air.
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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva
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