Antonov An-132

History of Antonov An-132

An-132 was developed jointly by Antonov in Ukraine with Taqnia Aeronautics and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) in Saudi Arabia. Essentially, the plane is a vastly improved version of the high-wing twin-engine light transport An-32, which first flew in 1976. The An-132 is currently in development and made its maiden flight in 2017. The Royal Saudi Air Force currently has six such aircraft on order, which will be assembled locally as "An-132Ds".

The oil-producing powerhouse envisions as many as 80 An0132 aircraft.

The An-132 capitalizes on Antonov's long-standing success in the light fixed-wing transport market. It borrows form and function from previous An-32 designs, but really only inherits the rear loading ramp - all other parts of the aircraft are new. The An-132 relies on a high-wing twin-engine configuration for a powerful principle of inherent lift and excellent ground clearance for rotating propeller blades. The wings were mounted on the tubular fuselage in front of the midship. The flight deck with large windows offers excellent views from the cockpit and nose.

The empennage was raised to make room for the loading dock, and was covered by a vertical stabilizer and low-level horizontal stabilizers. The chassis is three-wheeled and fully retractable.

Dimensions include a length of 80.5 feet, a wingspan of 95.9 feet, and a height of 28.9 feet. Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is 62,832 lbs.

Interior space for up to 20,300 pounds of palletized cargo or up to 75 combat readiness troops. MEDEVAC rolls can carry up to 27 medical waste containers. The crew consisted of two pilots and a loading supervisor. The cockpit is equipped with Honeywell Primus Epic 2.0 avionics.

Unlike previous Antonov aircraft, the An-132 is a truly Western-focused product.

The aircraft is powered by 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150 turboprop engines. These each produce 5,071 horsepower and drive a six-blade Dowty R408 propeller unit. Performance includes a cruising speed of 345 miles per hour, a range of up to 2,735 miles and a service ceiling of 30,000 feet.

The aircraft is more powerful and has a greater payload capacity than the previous An-32 brand. Improved "thermal and high performance" is the design pillar.

In addition to its intended transport role, the An-132 is used for other specialized missions including maritime patrol, firefighting, search and rescue (SAR) and electronic warfare (EW).

Specification

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Production

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