Antonov An-32

#GS 03 Science and Technology

Antonov An-32 is a twin-engine turboprop military transport aircraft with a passenger capacity of 42 paratroopers or 50 passengers or 24 Casualties on stretcher with three medical personnel.
The An-32 prototype took its maiden flight in July 1976 and the production of the An-32 has been suspended as of 2019.
The IAF currently has over 90 AN-32 medium-lift aircraft, inducted from the erstwhile Soviet Union between 1984 and 1991.
The An-32 was designed to suit both military and civil operations, and can take-off and land on rough airfields and dirt runways.
The aircraft features a high mounted wings design consisting of engine mounts over the wing to avoid foreign object damage on rough, unprepared air strips.
The high placement of the engine nacelles above the wing also allowed for larger diameter propellers to be placed on the aircraft.
The aircraft can transport 7.5t of cargo, and features advanced cargo handling devices and a cargo door fitted with a ramp to ease the loading or unloading of freight.
An-32 is powered by two Ivchenko Progress AI-20DM single shaft turboprop engines each of which produces 3,864kW of output power.
Indian Airforce is aiming to replace An-32 with a Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) having a carrying capacity of 18 to 30 tonnes.

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