Antonov

Antonov is a Ukrainian aerospace company and design bureau best known for its large transport aircraft. It traces its origins to 1946, when the Soviet-era designer Oleg Antonov established the Antonov Design Bureau to create rugged, mission-capable transports for military and civil use. The bureau developed a family of aircraft beginning with the An-2 biplane and expanding to larger designs such as the An-12 and An-22, with the most famous models internationally being the An-124 Ruslan and the An-225 Mriya.

The An-124 Ruslan, a four-engine heavy-lift transport, first flew in the early 1980s and has since been widely used for strategic airlift and humanitarian missions. The An-225 Mriya, conceived to carry extraordinary loads, is the heaviest aircraft ever built; only one airframe was completed, attracting global attention for its unique capabilities and mission history.

Following Ukraine’s independence, Antonov became a state-owned enterprise within the Ukrainian defense sector and has operated as part of the country’s state-directed aerospace industry. Its primary production and final-assembly facilities are located in Kyiv, with the Gostomel (Hostomol) aviation plant serving as a key site for large-aircraft work and testing.

The company today continues to provide design, modernization, maintenance, and support services for transport aircraft, pursuing programs to enhance payload, range, and reliability for civil and military customers worldwide. The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine damaged or destroyed the An-225 Mriya at Hostomel, marking a significant setback, while Antonov maintains its ongoing role in aircraft development and service in the region.