Afghan AN-32s Arrive

AN-32, Arrival(click to view full) In the above Jan 10/08 photo, an Afghan soldier with the Afghan National Army Air Corps directs a newly delivered AN-32 light tactical transport plane to its spot on the ramp of Kabul Air Base in Kabul, Afghanistan, just 65 days from receipt of original tasking from the Navy International Program Office. This plane was the first of 4 refurbished AN-32s that were purchased from the Ukraine by the ANAAC, which now has 7 An-32s in inventory. The ANAAC also flies 2 related AN-26 transports. US Naval Air Systems Command’s (NAVAIR) Support and Commercial Derivative Aircraft Program Office bought the AN-32s from Ukranian commercial firms, after inspecting the aircraft… AN-32, Airborne(click to view full) The AN-32’s high placement of the engine nacelles above the wing allow bigger propellers, driven by 5,100 hp AI-20 turboprops that almost double the output of the related AN-26’s engines. As a result, the AN-32’s 14,750 pound/ 6900 kg load capacity is almost 50% better than its AN-26 cousin’s. Most important to the ANAAC, it can take off with much better load fractions in hot and/or high-altitude conditions, whose thin air could be a problem for other aircraft. India also operates […]