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| The abandoned second An-225. It is to be completed with China's help. |
Economic Pravda-Ukraine, August 31, 2016
Translated by Tom Winter, September 1, 2016
The State Enterprise Antonov has denied reports about the sale of the Antonov 225 to the Chinese company China Aerospace.
The press service of the State Enterprise Antonov reported this toEconomic Pravda.
"Information about the selling ownership of the An-225 to the Chinese company China Aerospace does not correspond to reality. We are not betraying the homeland. More detailed commentary will come later..." said the press service.
At the same time on the state-owned enterprise's Facebook page, it was reported that on August 30 Antonov and Aerospace Industry Corporation of China (AICC) signed a cooperation agreement for the An-225 program.
"Thus, the parties expressed their intention for long-term cooperation, which provides, in the first stage, of construction of the second AN-225Mriya, modernized, at the State Enterprise Antonov, and the delivery to the AICC, and in the second stage, joint serial production of An-225 in China under license," the report says.
It is also noted that both phases will be implemented under the terms of individual contracts.
Earlier, Chinese media reported that the State Enterprise Antonov and the Chinese company China Aerospace signed a cooperation agreement, under which China would have ownership of the giant aircraft AN-225 transporter, including the use of drawings and specifications of the aircraft.
AN-225 "Mriya", developed by the Kyiv Design Bureau named after Antonov, is by far the largest and most powerful transport aircraft in the world.
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