Russia stops producing An-124 Ruslan jumbo jet

Russia will no longer produce the An-124 Ruslan jumbo aircraft. Instead, a new superheavy aircraft will be created to replace the Russian by 2027.

According to Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Borisov, Russia simply does not need the Ruslan aircraft. The vice-premier said that the Ruslan would undergo profound modernisation: the research work for its improvement was included in the State Armament Program.

The An-124 Ruslan is a heavy long-range transport aircraft designed in the Soviet Union. The Ruslan had not had a competitor airplane for six years - from 1982 to 1988. The An-124 was created for airdrop missions, for the transportation of mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles and other heavy military equipment. A Ruslan aircraft is capable of lifting a cargo of 120 tons into the air.

Fifty-five Russian aircraft haму been built since the time when the first aircraft was assembled. The last aircraft was assembled in 2004.