IAF to receive two An-32 aircraft from Ukraine

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will receive two modernised An-32 light transport planes built by Ukraine this month under a USD 600 million deal, the biggest bilateral agreement between the two countries.

The planes which were modernised by Ukraine's Antonov state enterprise under the Ukrainian-Indian contract for repairs will be delivered to India in October, Antonov's President and Director-General Dmitry Kiva was quoted as saying by Russian newsagency Itar-Tass, Saturday.

According to Kiva, the planes were modernised under the Ukranian-Indian contract for repairs, modernisation and extension of service life of 105 An-32 planes up to 40 years.

It is the biggest deal in the entire history of the Ukrainian-Indian relations as the sum of the contract signed in June 2009 stands at USD 600 million.

First five An-32 planes were delivered to Kiev in March 2010, followed by five more planes in June.

The first two planes were completely modernised in July, another one in September.

According to Kiva, the market capacity for the new An-32 is estimated at 45 planes.

The Antonov Kiev-based plant plans to manufacture seven An-32 planes till the year 2015, including three in 2010, three in 2011, and one in 2012.

One An-32 planes has already been manufactures, and the other two will be made till the year end, as provided in the production plan