Ukraine offers to provide NATO with cargo aircraft
Ukraine’s state-run Antonov Airlines has said it is willing to provide more cargo planes to NATO after a Russian company said it would halt its contract with the transatlantic alliance at the end of 2018.
In early April, Russian aircraft provider Volga-Dnepr, a world leader in transporting oversize and heavy air cargo, said it would not extend its contract for the provision of its Soviet-designed Antonov 124s to NATO armies.
The halt of the contract, which Volga-Dnepr had renewed each year since 2006, comes as tensions run high between Russia and NATO.
NATO nations have been forced to charter Antonov 124s from firms in the former Soviet Union due to a lack of their own own cargo aircraft, which has been aggravated by delays in the development and delivery of the Airbus A400M.
Under the Strategic Airlift Interim Solution (SALIS) both Volga-Dnepr and Antonov Airlines had provided NATO with up to six transport aircraft altogether.
‘Antonov is ready to expand its cooperation... and guarantees the provision of as many planes as are needed for the project,’ a spokeswoman told AFP on 27 April.
There was no immediate comment from NATO but earlier this month the bloc said it was working with its members ‘to explore options to meet their future airlift requirement from January 2019 onward.’
The unavailability of Antonov 124s would be a problem for France especially as delays the A400M has left it very dependent on the aircraft for overseas missions.
More from Defence Notes
-
![The speed of relevance: how companies can navigate the new era of European defence procurement]()
The speed of relevance: how companies can navigate the new era of European defence procurement
European militaries face a rapidly evolving security landscape and defence production must accelerate to meet surging demand for platforms and equipment. Industry needs to adapt to ensure it gets its products into the hands of the end user, Evelyn Rafferty, Senior Director Aerospace and Defence - Europe at Plexus told Shephard’s Gerrard Cowan.
-
![Delays, departures and drama cloud UK defence programmes ahead of absent DIP]()
Delays, departures and drama cloud UK defence programmes ahead of absent DIP
The UK defence secretary’s departure suggests that the long-delayed Defence Investment Plan is unlikely to meet the funding demands of the armed forces, with consequences for procurement and the UK’s standing at a NATO summit weeks away.
-
![Agile, sovereign, edge-ready: rewiring defence IT for a contested decade]()
Agile, sovereign, edge-ready: rewiring defence IT for a contested decade
Today's rapidly changing security landscape means that armed forces can no longer treat their data in the same way as in the past. What are the key challenges they face, and how can industry help them?
-
![US lawmakers prepare a historic investment in stockpile replenishment in FY2027]()
US lawmakers prepare a historic investment in stockpile replenishment in FY2027
The House Armed Services Committee recently released the Chairman’s NDAA FY2027 markup, which supports the Pentagon’s request for nearly $90 billion for long-range missiles, air defence interceptors, precision-guided munitions and industrial baseline items.
