The construction of two first Il-112V light military transport aircraft will begin in the coming two or three months, the press service of Russia's Ilyushin Aviation Complex aircraft manufacturer said on Wednesday.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) The construction of two first Il-112V light military transport aircraft will begin in the coming two or three months, the press service of Russia's Ilyushin Aviation Complex aircraft manufacturer said on Wednesday.
"The construction of the first airplanes will start at the Voronezh aviation plant in the coming two or three months," the company said in a statement.
The maiden flight of the prototype aircraft is set for fall, according to the statement.
The maiden flight of Il-112V had been previously repeatedly postponed due to the failure to meet deadlines by parts suppliers and some assembly issues, the company added.
Earlier on Wednesday, Yuri Slyusar, the president of the Russian United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), which includes the Ilyushin Aviation Complex, said that the mass production of the Il-112V aircraft would begin later this year, while the Russian Aerospace Forces would sign the contract for the deliveries of these aircraft in 2019.
The Il-112V planes are designed to replace the aging Antonov An-26 aircraft. The plane is capable of transporting and airdropping up to five tonnes of light weapons, military equipment, personnel and cargo.
In April, the Defense Ministry said it planned to purchase over 100 Il-112V planes.
