MOSCOW, August 29 (Itar-Tass) – Ukraine and Russia have finalized a draft agreement to resume batch production of the An-124 “Ruslan,” and are now coordinating technicalities, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Boiko said at the MAKS 2013 air show on Thursday.
The signing of the agreement is scheduled for September-October 2013, at a session of the economic cooperation committee under the Ukrainian-Russian Intergovernmental Commission, according to the Ukrainian official.
He underlined the significance of resuming the production of An-124, one of the largest aircraft in the world. “We’ll have a huge market and the opportunity to manufacture as many An-124 planes as to make it economically attractive. It will give an impulse not only to the producer company, but also to a range of other enterprises involved in this program,” his press service quoted him as saying.
Moscow and Kiev had decided to set up a joint venture to implement the project. Ukraine might contribute technology and innovations, while Russia will provide funding and a sales market.
“We’re interested in the joint venture’s beginning to work as soon as possible. Russia and Ukraine have know-how of their own. If we properly pool efforts, it will certainly yield a positive result,” Boiko noted.
The An-124 project would be pilot; if it is effective, the two countries might consider closer integration in the production of both civil and specialized aircraft, the Ukrainian minister said.