Russia to Display World's Biggest Plane at France Air ShowRussia said Monday that it will display a modernized transport plane An-225 Mria, the world's biggest plane, at the coming international air show in the French city of Le Bourget.The aircraft is under production at Russia's Antonov scientific and technical center and will be put into use in July or August. The modernization cost is estimated at 20 million U.S. dollars, the center's deputy chief designer Valentin Bogaichuk told the press here. The An-225 is designed to meet the international requirements for deliveries of super-weighty cargoes. Mria will have new engines, a reinforced body and up-to-date navigation equipment, he said. The Antonov Company has already received applications from several European countries for transportation of heavy cargoes. On the Russian-Ukrainian cooperation in aircraft building, Bogaichuk said the Russian aviation companies account for 60 percent of the quotas in the production of Ukrainian planes. During the joint development of big transport aircraft, Russia supplies aluminum, components, electronic equipment and other high- tech products to Ukraine, he said. |
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