An22

The Antonov An-22 Antei is a Soviet heavy transport aircraft designed by the Antonov Bureau for long-range, outsized airlift missions. It is the largest aircraft powered by turboprop engines and one of the heaviest aircraft to enter production in the Soviet era. The aircraft was developed in the 1960s to provide strategic airlift capability for the Soviet Union and its allies, capable of moving large and heavy equipment to forward and remote airfields.

The An-22 is powered by four Kuznetsov NK-12MV turboprop engines, each driving a pair of contra-rotating propellers. Its high-wing configuration, robust landing gear, and large cargo hold were intended to enable operations from less-developed airfields and to accommodate oversized cargo such as armored vehicles, helicopters, and heavy machinery. The airframe was designed with a focus on high payload capacity and long range, making it a centerpiece of Soviet strategic airlift during its era.

Operational history began with its first flight in 1965 and entry into service in the late 1960s. The An-22 served primarily with the Soviet Air Forces and, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, with successor states’ air forces, including Ukraine and Russia. Production was limited, and the fleet remained relatively small compared to jet-powered transports, with the aircraft gradually phased out of front-line service and retained in secondary roles or as test and training platforms into the late 20th century.

Variants of the An-22 included early An-22A designs and later improved versions with refinements to range and payload, reflecting its ongoing role as a large-scale heavy transport. The An-22’s role was largely superseded by jet transports and more modern heavy-lift aircraft, but it remains notable for its distinctive turboprop propulsion and for its place in the history of Soviet airborne logistics.