Antonov An-225 Cossack

Summary

Description

Work on the Antonov An-225 began in 1984, prompted by a request from the Soviet government to replace the Myasishchev VM-T with a larger airlifter. This new aircraft was to carry a maximum payload of 231,838 kilograms, both externally and internally, while operating from runways of at least 3,500 meters. The An-225's primary mission was to airlift the Energia rocket's boosters and the Buran-class orbiters for the Soviet space program, mirroring the role of the United States' Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. The Antonov Design Bureau based the An-225 on their existing An-124 Ruslan, stretching the fuselage with additional barrel sections and designing a new, enlarged wing center to accommodate two more Progress D-18T turbofan engines, bringing the total to six. A new tail was required to manage wake turbulence from external loads. Viktor Tolmachev was the lead designer of both the An-225 and An-124. The An-225 performed its maiden flight on 21 December 1988 and made its first public appearance outside the Soviet Union at the 1989 Paris Air Show, carrying a Buran orbiter. Only one An-225 was ever completed, though a second airframe was partially built.

The Antonov An-225 was a strategic airlift cargo aircraft with distinct design features, many of which were derived from the An-124. It possessed a longer fuselage achieved through the addition of barrel extensions, both fore and aft of the wings, and its wings were anhedral with root extensions. Power was supplied by six Progress D-18T turbofan engines. The flight control surfaces operated via fly-by-wire, powered by triple-redundant hydraulics. The empennage was a twin tail with a swept-back horizontal stabilizer, a redesign necessitated by the wake turbulence from bulky external loads. It featured an increased-capacity landing gear system with 32 wheels, some steerable, allowing turns within a 60-meter-wide runway. The aircraft also incorporated a nose gear that could "kneel" for easier cargo loading and unloading. For internal loading, the aircraft featured four overhead cargo cranes, each capable of lifting up to 5,000 kilograms. Furthermore, various mounting points along the upper fuselage facilitated the attachment of external loads. Unlike the An-124, it lacked a rear cargo door or ramp to save weight and was not designed for tactical airlifting or short-field operations.

The An-225 Mriya was primarily designed to transport oversized payloads, both internally and externally, with the initial requirement to carry a maximum payload of 231,838 kilograms (511,116 lb). Internally, the cargo hold was pressurized and soundproofed, measuring 1,300 m3 (46,000 cu ft) in volume and capable of accommodating up to 250,000 kg (550,000 lb) of general cargo, such as 80 standard-dimension cars or 16 intermodal containers, with capability to handle loads up to 70 m (230 ft) in length. Externally, on the upper fuselage, it could carry up to 200,000 kg (440,000 lb), with the capability to handle loads up to 70 m (230 ft) in length, and included mounting points for loads such as the Buran orbiter. On 11 September 2001, the An-225 flew with a record load of 253.82 tonnes (279.79 short tons) of cargo. On 11 August 2009, it transported the heaviest single cargo item ever sent by air, a generator and loading frame representing a payload of 189,980 kg (418,830 lb), within a total payload of 247,000 kg (545,000 lb) on a commercial flight.

The Antonov An-225 Mriya initially served between 1988 and 1991, dedicated to transporting Buran-class orbiters within the Soviet space program. In 1989, Antonov Airlines was founded as a heavy airlift shipping corporation, operating initially with An-124-100s and An-12s. Following the termination of the Buran program, the sole completed An-225 was left unused, and in 1994, it was placed into long-term storage, during which all six engines were removed for use on other An-124s. The second uncompleted airframe was also stored. As the demand for an aircraft larger than the An-124 grew, the first An-225 was restored, re-engined, and modernized for heavy cargo operations under Antonov Airlines management. It commenced commercial service in 2002 and was later contracted by the Canadian and U.S. governments to transport military supplies to the Middle East. The An-225 transported items considered impossible to move by air and was used in international relief efforts. Its career ended with its destruction in 2022 during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Main Variants:

• An-224: Original proposal with a rear cargo door, which was never built.

• An-225: The primary variant, distinguished by the absence of a rear cargo door; only one was completed, with a second aircraft remaining incomplete.

• An-225-100: Designation applied to the An-225 after its 2000 modernization, which included upgrades such as a traffic collision avoidance system, improved communications and navigation equipment, and noise reduction features.

• An-325: A proposed enlarged aircraft with eight engines, specifically designed to launch spacecraft into orbit, initially designed for the MAKS program and later a joint project between British Aerospace and the Soviet Ministry of Aviation Industry.

• AKS: Intended to carry the Tupolev OOS air-launch-to-orbit spaceplane, featuring a twin-fuselage design consisting of two An-225 fuselages with multiple engine configurations proposed but ultimately deemed unfeasible.

Technical specifications

Current operating countries

No country is operating the An-225 Cossack in 2025.

All operators

Ukraine

Photo of An-225 Cossack