An-24/26/30 Transport Aircraft

Last updated: 22 May 2008

	An-24 radar testbed operated by CFTE (Chinese Internet)

The PLAAF has been operating 30~50 examples of the Soviet-made An-24, An-26, and An-30 turboprop aircraft since the late 1960s for transport and other utility roles. The three aircraft belong to the same prolific and highly successful family of twin turboprop civil and military transports developed by the Soviet Union’s Antonov Design Bureau (now Antonov ASTC of Ukraine). The PRC has also produced a reverse-engineered copy of the An-24 known as Y-7.

An-24

The PRC purchased an unknown number of the An-24 (NATO reporting name: Coke) turboprop passenger planes from the Soviet Union in 1969. 20 of these planes were allocated to the PLAAF 34th Air Division based in Beijing for passenger transport role. An-24s serving with the PLAAF included B, PB, and RV models. Some of these planes may have received special modifications in their cabin interior for VIP air transportation role and were operated under the umbrella of the China United Airlines (CUA) using civil aviation register numbers. The aircraft has been produced by Xi’an Aircraft Corporation (XAC) as the Y-7. It is understood that no An-24 is still flying with the PLAAF.

The CFTE initially operated a modified Russian Antonov An-24PB (NATO reporting name: Coke) twin-engine transport aircraft as the flying testbed. The aircraft was used in the testing of the pulse-Doppler fire-control radar developed for the J-10 fighter. The transport had its nose removed and replaced by a radome that resembles the shape of the J-10’s nose. The radar antenna is housed inside the radome, with its test equipment carried inside the fuselage.

Flight crew: 3~5
Wingspan: 29.20m
Length: 23.53m
Height: 8.32m
Powerplant: Two 1,887kW (2,530hp) Ivchenko (Progress) AI-24A turboprops, driving four blade constant speed propellers
Weight: Empty 13,300kg; Max take-off 21,000kg
Maxi load-carrying capacity: 5,500kg cargo, or 50 passengers
Speed: Max speed 500km/h; cruising speed 450km/h
Range: 2,400km (with maximum fuel); 550km (with maximum load)
Service ceiling: 9,000m
Runway: Take-off 640m; landing 645m

An-26

	An-26 of the PLAAF 13th Air Division (Chinese Internet)

In the early 1970s, the PRC acquired an unknown number of the An-26 (NATO reporting name: Curl), a military/cargo transport derivative of the An-24. These aircraft have been equipped by the PLAAF 13th Air Division based at Wuhan, Hubei Province to support the operations of the PLAAF 15th Airborne Corps. The aircraft was a frequent scene in the exercises of the airborne forces, though they are less active in recent years. The latest airlift operation for the relief effort of the Sichuan earthquake in May 2008 confirmed that some An-26s are still operational. The XAC has developed a cargo transport Y-7H, which is very similar to the An-26.

The An-26 features two more powerful AI-24VT turboprop engines and a Tumansky Ru-19-A300 78.5kN thrust turbojet auxiliary power unit on the left engine for shorter take-off distance and higher climb rate. The aircraft also has a redesigned tail with cargo doors and a ramp for fast loading/unloading of troops and cargo. The cabin of the aircraft is fully pressurised in order to fly at high altitudes.

Flight crew: 3~5
Wingspan: 29.20m
Length: 23.53m
Height: 8.32m
Powerplant: Two 2,103kW (2,820hp) Ivchyenko AI-24VT turboprops, plus one 800kg (1,764lb) dry thrust Tumanskii RU-19A-300 turbojet
Weight: Empty 13,300kg; Max take-off 21,000kg
Maxi load-carrying capacity: 5,500kg cargo, or 50 passengers, or 24 paratroopers
Speed: Max speed 500km/h; cruising speed 450km/h
Range: 2,400km (with maximum fuel); 550km (with maximum load)
Service ceiling: 9,000m
Runway: Take-off 640m; landing 645m

An-30

	An-30 in service with the PLAAF (Chinese Internet)

The PLAAF has also been operating a small number of the An-30 (NATO reporting name: Clank) aircraft since the 1980s. The aircraft may have been obtained via a third country. These planes have been operated by operated by the PLAAF Aerial Survey Regiment mainly for aerial survey and photography roles. Some of these planes were involved in civil missions such as ecological survey, map making, and mine spotting. Few examples of these An-30s were seen serving with the PLAAF 16th Flight Academy for pilot and navigator training.

To make space for the equipment, the An-30 features an enlarged glass-in nose and a raised cockpit on the forward fuselage. Various cameras and sensors are integrated onto the five camera windows on the fuselage, and the airplane features its own darkroom, film storeroom, and staff rest room. The aircraft is fitted with basic radio communication and navigation equipment, plus optical cameras and their support equipment, and an autopilot system with NAVSTAR/GPS and onboard computer input to keep the pre-programmed routes and altitude.

Crew: 7 (pilot, co-pilot, navigator, radio operator, flight engineer, camera operator, observer)
Dimensions: Wingspan: 29.20m; Length: 24.26m; Height: 8.32 m
Weight: Empty weight: 15,590kg; Maximum take-off weight: 23,000kg
Mission payload: 650kg
Internal fuel capacity: 6,200 litre
Powerplant: Two An-24-BT turboprop engines, each rated at 2,820shp, plus one 800kg (1,764lb) dry thrust Tumanskii RU-19A-300 turbojet
Speed: Crusing 430km/h; Max 540 km/h
Service ceiling: 7,300m
Range: Ferry range 2,630km (with maximum fuel)
Flight endurance: N/A
Runway: Take-off 710m; landing 670m