Antonov An-22

{{Short description|Soviet heavy military transport aircraft}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}} {{Infobox aircraft |name = Antonov An-22 "Antei" |image = File:Antonov An-22A Antei, Russia - Air Force AN2203462.jpg |caption = Antonov An-22 |type = Strategic airlifter |national_origin = Soviet Union |manufacturer = Antonov |designer = |first_flight= 27 February 1965 |introduction= 1967 |status= Retired |primary_user= Russian Aerospace Forces |more_users= Aeroflot<br />Antonov Airlines |produced= 1966–1976 |number_built= 68 |unit cost= |variants= }}

The '''Antonov An-22 "Antei"''' ({{Langx|ru|Ан-22 Антей|An-22 Antey}}; {{lit|Antaeus}}; NATO reporting name: "'''Cock'''") is a retired heavy military transport aircraft designed by the Antonov Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. Powered by four turboprop engines, each driving a pair of contra-rotating propellers, its design was the first wide-body transport aircraft and remains the world's largest turboprop-powered aircraft to date. The An-22 first appeared publicly outside the Soviet Union at the 1965 Paris Air Show. Thereafter, the model saw extensive use in major military and humanitarian airlifts for the Soviet Union, and remained in service with the Russian Aerospace Forces until December 2025, when the last operational aircraft crashed during a test flight.<ref name="twz20251209" /><ref name=":0" />

== Design and development == [[File:Aeroflot An-22 CCCP-64459 UKKM 1991-8-18.png|thumb|First prototype of the An-22 (CCCP-64459; currently UR-64459), pictured in 1991 at Gostomel Airport.]] thumb|left|Front view thumb|left|Bottom view In the late 1950s, the Soviet Union required a large military transport aircraft to supplement the Antonov An-8 and An-12s then entering service.<ref name="aw" /> Originally known as the An-20, the model is a conventional multi-engined high-wing design.<ref name="aw" /> In the early 1960s, the Antonov bureau produced a wooden mock up at its Kyiv, Ukraine, workshops of what was designated the Model 100.<ref name="aw" /> The prototype, now designated the An-22, was rolled out on 18 August 1964 and first flew on 27 February 1965.<ref name="aw" /> The prototype was given the name Antaeus (sometimes misspelled Antheus) and, after four months of test-flying, was displayed at the 1965 Paris Air Show.<ref name="aw" /> All aircraft were built at the Tashkent State Aircraft Factory and the first military delivery was made to the Air Transport Wing at Ivanovo Airbase in 1969.<ref name="aw" />

The aircraft was designed as a strategic airlifter, designed specifically to expand the Soviet Airborne Forces' capability to land with their then-new BMD-1 armoured vehicles. The An-22 cargo hold could accommodate four BMD-1s compared to only one in the An-12.

It had the capability to takeoff from austere, unpaved, and short airstrips, allowing airborne troops to perform air-landing operations. This was facilitated by four pairs of contra-rotating propellers, similar to those on the Tupolev Tu-114. The propellers and exhaust from the engines produced a slipstream over the wings and large double-slotted flaps. The landing gear was ruggedized for rough airstrips. In early versions tire pressures could be adjusted in flight for optimum landing performance. That feature was removed in later models.

The An-22 followed traditional cargo transport design with a high-mounted wing allowing a large cargo space of 33 m in length and a usable volume of 639 m<sup>3</sup>. The forward fuselage was fully pressurized and provides space for 5 to 8 crew and up to 28 passengers, but the cargo space was pressurized to only 3.55 PSI / 0.245 bar allowing for a lighter airframe. A door equipped with pressure bulkhead was located at frame 14, separating the cargo attendant's compartment from the main cargo compartment. This allowed the rear cargo doors to be opened during flight for paratroops and equipment drop. Like the An-12, the aircraft had a circular fuselage section. The An-22 set a number of payload and payload-to-height world records.{{Citation needed|date=May 2008}}

The An-22 had the general appearance of an enlarged version of the earlier Antonov An-12 except that it was fitted with a twin tail. This gave the An-22 better engine-out performance, and reduces height restrictions for hangars. Also of note were large anti-flutter masses on the top of each tail.

[[File:1965. Антей.jpg|thumb|right|Soviet 1965 postage stamp showcasing the An-22 success at the Paris Air Show]] Only one production variant was built, the standard An-22.{{clarify|date=May 2013}} Prototypes, such as the one first featured at the 1965 Paris Air Show had fully glazed noses that lacked the nose-mounted radar of production models. Those aircraft had the radar mounted below the right wheel well fairing, forward of the wheels. Antonov designated a variant with a modified electrical system and an additional augmented flight control system the An-22A but the designation was not used by the military.<ref name="aw" />

A civil airliner version with a lengthened fuselage capable of seating 724 passengers on upper and lower decks was studied but was not built.<ref>Taylor 1969, p. 466</ref>

=== Total production === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: right; font-size: 96%;" |- !Total Production<ref>{{cite web|url=https://russianplanes.net/planelist/Antonov/An-22|title=✈ russianplanes.net ✈ наша авиация|website=russianplanes.net|access-date=9 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180825002506/https://russianplanes.net/planelist/Antonov/An-22|archive-date=25 August 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>!! 1975 !! 1974 !! 1973 !! 1972 !! 1971 !! 1970 !! 1969 !! 1968 !! 1967 !! 1966 !! 1965 !! 1964 !! 1963 |- ||'''68'''||12||9||9||8||8||7||7||1||1||4||1||0||1 |}

== Variants == [[File:An-22 is landing on unpaved runway.webm|thumb|The An-22 was capable of operations at airports with unpaved runways. Here the An-22 lands at Gao International Airport in Mali, 2016]] thumb|Drawing of the An-22's proposed amphibious variant thumb|Side profile ;An-22 :Three original prototypes were built at the Antonov facility in Kyiv, with glass nose. ;Amphibious An-22 :An amphibian version of the An-22 was proposed, but did not progress past the scale model phase. ;An-22 :Initial production variant with external start system, 37 built at Tashkent. ;An-22A :Improved variant with air-start capability, modified electrical system, and updated radio and navigation equipment, 28 built at Tashkent. ;An-22PZ :Conversion of two An-22s to carry wing centre sections or outer wings of Antonov An-124 or An-225 externally above fuselage. Fitted with third centreline fin.<ref name="AI p35-6">Gordon, Komissarov and Komissarov ''Air International'' January 2006, pp. 35–36.</ref>

Several other An-22 variants were projected and constructed by Antonov but never entered serial production, notably a nuclear-powered aircraft and a ballistic missile platform.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}

== Operational history ==

The An-22 was originally built for the Soviet Air Force and Aeroflot (the state airline). Conversion from An-12 in the Air Force began in July 1974. Several Military Transport Aviation units were equipped. The 12th Mginsk Red Banner Military Transport Aviation Division (based at Migalovo) was one of the units which had its three regiments entirely equipped with the An-22s. Another unit that operated it was the 566th Solnechnogorsk Military Transport Aviation Regiment, which used the An-22 from 1970 to 1987.

An early use of the An-22 was to deliver Soviet humanitarian aid to Peru in July 1970 following the Ancash earthquake. One An-22 disappeared on 18 July during these relief flights. An-22s were also used to deliver Soviet military aid to Egypt and Syria during the Yom Kippur War in 1973, to Angola in 1975, and to Ethiopia in 1977.<ref name="AI p36-7">Gordon, Komissarov and Komissarov ''Air International'' January 2006, pp. 36–37.</ref>

The An-22s from Migalovo were used for the initial deployment of the Soviet Airborne Troops (VDV) during the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. One An-22 was shot down at takeoff (probably by an SA-7 missile) near Kabul on 28 October 1984 with about 250 casualties as the aircraft was used as troop carrier.<ref name="AI p37">Gordon, Komissarov and Komissarov ''Air International'' January 2006, p. 37.</ref> In 1980, one An-22 crashed at Vnukovo Airport while two crashed at Migalovo (in 1992 and 1994).

In 1984, military An-22s were used to deliver Mi-8 helicopters to Ethiopia during drought relief operations.

In 1986 the aircraft of the 8th Military Air Transport Aviation Regiment from Migalovo were used to deliver materials for the Chernobyl disaster relief operation.

During 1987 the An-22s were used to deliver military equipment to Angola. A year later the military An-22s were used to deliver 15,000 tons and 1,000 personnel for the 1988 Armenian earthquake relief operation.

thumb|right|View of an An-22 from behind The An-22 aircraft were often seen at the Le Bourget Air Show, and in 1988 delivered an engine from the An-124 to the Farnborough Airshow.

In late 1980s, the An-22s were used to deliver internal troops to many regional conflicts during and after the breakup of the Soviet Union. In 1995 they deployed the Russian peacekeeping force from the 98th Guards Airborne Division during the Bosnian War.

Approximately 45 An-22s remained in service by the mid-1990s, mostly with the Russian Air Force, being slowly replaced by the bigger turbofan-powered Antonov An-124. The remaining An-22s were operated by an independent military transport aviation squadron at Migalovo base in Tver.

As of December 2018, six An-22s were listed in service with the 76th Military Transport Air Squadron at Tver, with only three aircraft airworthy. They were then planned to remain in service until 2033.<ref name="ai119p20-1">{{cite magazine|last=Taghvaee|first=Babak|title=An-22 in the war on terror|magazine=Air International|date=January 2019|volume=96|issue=1|pages=20–21|issn=0306-5634}}</ref>

A single civil An-22 (registration number UR-09307) was in service with the Ukrainian Antonov Airlines as of September 26, 2020 but was damaged in 2022 during the initial stages of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuQGvi_R8zg|title = АЭРОПОРТ ГОСТОМЕЛЬ. Здесь был "русский мир"|website = YouTube| date=2 April 2022 }}</ref>

Reports in August 2024 indicated that Russia had ceased operating their An-22 aircraft, with Antei RF-09309 being flown to Yekaterinburg to be prepared for a museum display. On 9 December 2025, the last operational An-22 crashed in the Ivanovo region, north-east of Moscow. Seven people on board were presumed dead. Witnesses on the ground said the plane broke up in midair.<ref name=twz20251209>{{Cite web|url=https://www.twz.com/air/theres-likely-no-way-back-for-russias-an-22-turboprop-heavy-transports-after-fatal-crash|title=There's Likely No Way Back For Russia's An-22 Turboprop Heavy Transports After Fatal Crash|website=TWZ|date=9 December 2025}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2025/12/09/russian-military-transport-plane-crashes-near-moscow-with-seven-on-board|title=Russia says no survivors in military cargo plane crash|website=Al Arabiya|date=9 December 2025}}</ref>

== Operators == [[File:An-22 RA-09341 (8711049498).jpg|thumb|An-22 of the Russian Air Force]]

=== Military === ==== Former ==== ;{{RUS}} *The Russian Aerospace Forces owns 11 aircraft, none of which are in active service.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/russia-antonov-an-22-crash|title=Russian Antonov An-22 crashes into a reservoir: All 7 crew feared dead|website=Aerospace Global News|date=9 December 2025}}</ref>

;{{USSR}} *Soviet Air Force :*8th Military Transport Aviation Regiment<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/tap/8vtap.htm|access-date=28 September 2017|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130212184940/http://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/regiment/tap/8vtap.htm|archive-date=12 February 2013|title=8th Military-Transport Aviation Regiment}}</ref> :*Other regiments

=== Civil === [[File:Antei.jpg|thumb|An-22 of Antonov Airlines]]

==== Current ==== ;{{UKR}} *Antonov Airlines – a single An-22 (registration number UR-09307) was in service with Antonov Airlines as of September 26, 2020. During the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the Battle of Antonov Airport on February 24, 2022, the aircraft reportedly suffered substantial damage when penetrated by projectiles.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20220224-5|title=ASN Aircraft accident Antonov An-22A UR-09307 Kyiv-Gostomel Airport (GML)}}</ref>

==== Former ==== ;{{BUL}} *Air Sofia (leased){{Citation needed|date=December 2025}}

== Incidents and accidents == As of December 2025, there have been 10 hull losses with a total of 110 fatalities.<ref>{{cite web |title=Antonov An-22 |url=https://aviation-safety.net/asndb/type/AN22 |website=Aviation Safety Network}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" |- ! style="width:100px;"|Date !width="75"|Registration ! style="width:140px;"|Location !width="50"|Fatalities ! style="width:450px;"|Brief description |- | 18 July 1970 | СССР-09303 | The Atlantic Ocean near Keflavík International Airport, Iceland | All of 7 passengers + 15 crew | Was transporting humanitarian aid to Lima, Peru. Radar contact was lost 47 minutes after takeoff from Keflavík International Airport.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.airwar.ru/enc/craft/an22.html|title=Антонов АН-22 Антей|website=www.airwar.ru|access-date=9 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209180627/http://www.airwar.ru/enc/craft/an22.html|archive-date=9 February 2019|url-status=live}}{{unreliable source?|date=January 2025}}</ref> |- | 28 December 2010 | RA-09343 | Near Krasny Oktyabr (Tula Oblast, Russia) | All 12 crew (no passengers) | RA-09343 of the Russian Air Force crashed killing all twelve crew. The aircraft was on a positioning flight from Voronezh Airport to Migalovo airbase.<ref name=ASN281210>{{cite web |url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20101228-0 |title=RA09343 Accident description |publisher=Aviation Safety Network |access-date=1 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110625003857/http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20101228-0 |archive-date=25 June 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> The aircraft had been in storage since 2001 and was brought back into flying condition in January 2010.<ref name=Scramble>{{cite web |url=https://www.scramble.nl/database/soviet/details/25_18135 |title=An-22A c/n 043482272 |website=Soviet Transport Database|publisher=Dutch Aviation Society |access-date=18 January 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Giant Antonov An-22 cargo plane crashes in rural Russia | work = BBC News | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12088525 | access-date = 28 December 2010 | date=29 December 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110126030748/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12088525| archive-date= 26 January 2011 | url-status= live}}</ref> |- | 9 December 2025 | RF-08832 | Ivanovo region | Both passengers + 5 crew | The last operational An-22 was being operated by the Russian Air Force. It came down over the Uvodskoye Reservoir in Ivanovo Oblast, Russia. The aircraft was on a test flight from Ivanovo Severny air base after repairs.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 9, 2025 |title=Accident Antonov An-22A RF-08832, Tuesday 9 December 2025 |url=https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/563155 |access-date=December 9, 2025 |publisher=Aviation Safety Network}}</ref><ref name=twz20251209/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bailey |first=Joanna |date=9 December 2025 |title=Russian Antonov An-22 transporter crashes with 7 crew on board |url=https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/russia-antonov-an-22-crash/ |access-date=28 December 2025 |website=Aerospace Global News}}</ref> |}

== Specifications (An-22) == right|300px|Dorsally projected diagram of the Antonov An-22 Antheus. {{Aircraft specs |ref=Jane's all the world's aircraft, 1991–92<ref name=JAWA1991-92>{{cite book | editor-last=Lambert | editor-first=Mark | display-editors=etal | title=Jane's all the world's aircraft : 1991–92 | publisher=Jane's Information Group | year=1991 | isbn=9780710609656 | oclc=1035932568 | url=https://archive.org/details/janesallworldsai00lamb | access-date=12 September 2019}}</ref> |prime units?=met  |crew=5–6 |capacity=28–29 pax / {{cvt|80000|kg|0}} maximum payload |length m=57.92 |length note=approx (dependent on nose config.) |span m=64.4 |span note= |height m=12.53 |height note= |wing area sqm=345 |wing area note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil='''root:'''TsAGI S-5-16; '''tip:''' TsAGI S-5-13<ref name="Selig">{{cite web |last1=Lednicer |first1=David |title=The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage |url=https://m-selig.ae.illinois.edu/ads/aircraft.html |website=m-selig.ae.illinois.edu |access-date=16 April 2019}}</ref> |empty weight kg=114000 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg= |gross weight note= |max takeoff weight kg=250000 |max takeoff weight note= |fuel capacity= {{cvt|43000|kg|0}} maximum |more general=  |eng1 number=4 |eng1 name=Kuznetsov NK-12MA |eng1 type=turboprop engines |eng1 shp=15000 |eng1 note=(equivalent)

|prop blade number=8 |prop name=contra-rotating constant-speed reversible-pitch propeller |prop dia m= |prop dia note=  |max speed kmh=740 |max speed note= |max speed mach= |cruise speed kmh= |cruise speed note= |stall speed kmh= |stall speed note= |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed note= |minimum control speed kmh= |minimum control speed note= |range km=5000 |range note=with maximum payload ::::{{cvt|10950|km|mi nmi}} with maximum fuel and {{cvt|45000|kg|0}} payload |ferry range km= |ferry range note= |combat range km= |endurance= |ceiling m= 9100 |ceiling note= |g limits= |roll rate= |climb rate ms= |climb rate note= |time to altitude= |wing loading kg/m2=724.6 |wing loading note=max |fuel consumption kg/km= |power/mass={{cvt|0.1088|hp/lb|kW/kg|order=flip}} max |more performance= *'''Take-off run:''' {{cvt|1300|m|0}} *'''Landing run:''' {{cvt|800|m|0}} |avionics= }}

== On display == A former Ukrainian Air Force AN-22 is on display at the Technik Museum Speyer in Speyer, Germany.<ref>{{cite web |title=Antonov AN-22 {{!}} Technik Museum Speyer {{!}} Germany |url=https://speyer.technik-museum.de/en/antonov-an-22 |website=speyer.technik-museum.de |access-date=9 December 2025 |language=en |date=21 December 2024}}</ref>

== See also == {{aircontent |related= * {{annotated link|Antonov An-12}} |similar aircraft=  * {{annotated link|Douglas C-133 Cargomaster}}  * {{annotated link|Boeing C-17 Globemaster III}}  * {{annotated link|Ilyushin Il-76}}  * {{annotated link|Xi'an Y-20}}  * {{annotated link|Airbus A400M Atlas}}  *Short Belfast-British military transport aircraft |lists= * List of military aircraft of the Soviet Union and the CIS |see also= }}

== References == <references> <ref name="aw">{{cite magazine | title= Antonov An-22 Antheus |author=Sebastian Zacharias |magazine= Airliner World |pages=58–62 |date=June 2001 |issn=1465-6337}}</ref> </references>

*{{cite book|last=Alexander|first=Jean|title=Russian Aircraft since 1910|year=1975|publisher=Purnell Book Services|location=London}} *{{cite magazine|last1=Gordon |first1=Yefim |last2=Komissarov |first2=Dmitry |last3=Komissarov|first3=Sergei| title=Antonov An-22: A Venerable Giant|magazine=Air International|date=January 2006|pages=30–37}} *{{cite book|last=Gunston|first=Bill|title=The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft 1875–1995|year=1995|publisher=London|location=Osprey|isbn=1-85532-405-9|author-link=Bill Gunston}} *{{cite book|last=Stroud|first=John|title=Soviet Transport Aircraft since 1945|year=1968|publisher=Putnam|location=London|isbn=0-370-00126-5}} * {{cite book |last=Taylor |first=John W. R. |author-link=John W. R. Taylor |title=Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1969–70 |year=1969 |location=London |publisher=Sampson Low Marston & Co., Ltd |isbn=0-354-000-519}}

== Further reading == * Pyotr Butowski, 'Air Power Analysis – Russian Federation Part 2' in International Air Power Review, Volume 13, Summer 2004, AIRtime Publishing Inc., Norwalk, CT. * {{cite web|last=Goebel|first=Greg|url=http://vectorsite.net/avantgt.html|title=The Antonov Giants|work=Air Vectors|date=1 January 2006|access-date=28 June 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060812050412/http://www.vectorsite.net/avantgt.html|archive-date=12 August 2006|url-status=usurped}} * {{cite web|url=http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=36|title=Antonov An-22 Antheus|access-date=28 June 2006|work=airliners.net| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060618095347/http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=36| archive-date= 18 June 2006 | url-status= live}}

== External links == {{Commons}} * [http://walkarounds.scalemodels.ru/v/walkarounds/avia/after_1950/An-22a/ Walkaround An-22А RA-09309 at MAKS-2009], [http://walkarounds.scalemodels.ru/v/walkarounds/avia/after_1950/An-22_001/ Second walk] * [http://scalemodels.ru/modules/photo/viewcat_cid_243.html Walkaround Ан-22 at Monino Museum, Russia] * [http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=36 Airliners.net An-22] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20140407095537/http://www.chapman-freeborn.com/en/cargo_aircraft_specifications AN-22 specifications in comparison to other cargo charter aircraft] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20010306044927/http://www.aeronautics.ru/archive/vvs/an22-01.htm Aeronautics.ru An-22] * [http://www.airforce.ru/history/76gvtae/index.htm 8th air transport air regiment (in Russian)]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Antonov An-022}} An-022 Category:1960s Soviet cargo aircraft Category:1960s Soviet military transport aircraft Category:Aircraft with contra-rotating propellers Category:Four-engined tractor aircraft Category:Four-engined turboprop aircraft Category:High-wing aircraft Category:Aircraft first flown in 1965 Category:Double-deck aircraft Category:Twin-tail aircraft Category:Aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear