MOSCOW, Feb 22 - RIA Novosti. In Russia, work on the creation of a light military transport aircraft IL-112B has been suspended until the investigation of the crash with the first prototype of the aircraft is completed, a source in the military-industrial complex told RIA Novosti.
The source clarified that work on the assembly of the second and third Il-112B flight models at VASO has also been suspended. He added that "the decision to continue the work will be made by the state customer based on the results of the investigation."
As another source in the defense industry noted to RIA Novosti, the next stage of development work on the Il-112 aircraft is approaching (the customer is the Ministry of Defense), however, following the results of the accident investigation, additional work may be required both on the engine and on the airframe.
"In order not to do double work, not to spend extra funds and not to create prerequisites for the failure of contractual obligations, the progress of the project was put on pause until the conclusions of the commission, having documented it," he explained.
The interlocutor added that this will also avoid mutual legal and financial claims within the cooperation due to the change in terms.
"After the completion of the commission's work, taking into account the conclusions, the work will continue," the source said.
On August 17, 2021, the first prototype of an aircraft crashed in Kubinka near Moscow. Three testers were killed - two pilots and a flight engineer. As previously reported, the second prototype IL-112B passed strength tests on the stand, the third and fourth experimental aircraft (they are also the second and third flight) were in production.
The IL-112B light military transport aircraft is designed for the transportation and air landing of personnel, weapons, light military equipment and other cargo with a maximum weight of five tons. The IL-112B will replace the retiring AN-26 fleet. The cruising speed of the IL-112B is 470 kilometers per hour, the flight range with a maximum load is 1.2 thousand kilometers.
In September last year, Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov told reporters that the problems with the insufficient carrying capacity of the IL-112B military transport aircraft due to too heavy construction were solved, and the need of the Russian Armed Forces for Il-112B aircraft exceeds 100 units.
