Upgraded AN-70 ready for testing

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KIEV, Ukraine, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- The upgraded AN−70 short takeoff-and-landing transport from Antonov of Ukraine is ready to undergo Ukrainian and Russian military testing.

During company trials, upgraded systems – including engines, propfans, aircraft and wing high−lift devices, control systems – were successfully demonstrated, officials said.

A total of 20 flights are expected to be performed by experts from Ministries of Defense of Russian Federation and Ukraine during preliminary evaluations, followed by 70 flight tests in the final phase of government evaluation.

The AN-70 is a four-engine turboprop transport. It has a maximum speed of 485 miles per hour and a maximum range of 2,700 nautical miles while carrying 35 tons of cargo. Its service ceiling is more than 39,000 feet.

The aircraft carries a crew complement of three to five and can carry 300 troops.

Antonov said upgrading included improvements to the aircraft's power plant, and avionics, without changes to the control systems' algorithms.

Additional details of the upgrades were not provided.