ANALYSIS OF SOVIET HEAVY TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT: CONDOR A

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91T01115R000100090002-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 2, 2012
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: January 1, 1984
• Content Type: REPORT

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Sec
Analysis of Soviet
Heavy Transport Aircraft:
Condor A (U)
Secret
IA 84-10001
January 1984
E (, ' ,
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Analysis of Soviet
Heavy Transport Aircraft:
Condor A (U)
Summary
Analysis of imagery suggests that the second prototype of the
Condor A, a new Antonov-designed heavy transport aircraft similar
in size to the Lockheed C-5A Galaxy, will be rolled out in early
1984. This aircraft is being assembled at the Antonov Experimen-
tal Design Bureau (0KB) in Kiyev where the assembly of the first
prototype was completed in the fall of 1982. The first aircraft
was flown to nearby Gostomel Airfield where it has been under-
going flight testing.
Structural testing of one of these two prototype aircraft will
probably begin by early 1984 at the Gostomel Airfield. A proba-
ble static test stand that appears specifically configured for
testing of the Condor A is under construction there.
We believe series production of the Condor will begin in 1988 or
1989 at Tashkent Airframe Plant 84, where the IL-76 Candid medium
transport aircraft is currently being produced. We expect Candid
production to wind down in the late 1980s, thus freeing up floor-
space to support the startup of Condor production. A new assem-
bly section under construction at Tashkent is expected to be
completed by 1990. We believe that this new section will support
peak production of Condor through the 1990s.
The above information is Secret
Information available as of 1 September 1983 was used in this
report. (U)
Secret
fA 84-10001
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A new Soviet transport aircraft is under development by the
Antonov Experimental Design Bureau (0KB in Ki ev USSR.
Following a design effort that 25X1
reporting has spanned more than a decade, the first flight test
prototype was rolled out of the new assembly facility at Kiyev
between 21 September and 7 November 1982. By January 1983, the
aircraft had been flown to Gostomel Airfield, the Antonov flight
test facility 12.5 kilometers (km) northwest of Kiyev. The
aircraft was originally given the interim designator Kiyev B and
is currently designated Condor A. (S 25X1
This report provides imagery-derived background data on the
development of the Condor A, a general description of the new
aircraft, a discussion of the test activity and production
facilities believed to be associated with it, and a rectified
3-view drawing based on satelli magery of the firs}
prototype. (S 25X1
With its fuselage and 73-meter wingspan, th25X1
Condor A is the largest Soviet aircraft ever built (figure 1).
The Condor's overall dimensions and general appearance approxi-
mate those of the US-built C-5A Galaxy, currently the largest
aircraft in the world (figure 2). The Condor has a high-mounted,
moderately-swpnt and a fusels - t d h
mo
(S
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un e orizontal ta1125X1
The Condor's horizontal tail represents a major design difference
from the T-tailed C-5A. In addition, the first Condor A proto-
type differs from the C-5A by the absence of a visible hinge line
in the nose section, suggesting that the Soviet aircraft does not
have a front loading and unloading capability. In contrast, the
nose section of the C-5A is able to raise, providing drive-
through capability to the cargo area. The positioning of upper
and lower personnel doors on the Condor, suggests that it, like
the C-5A, contains an upper deck for troop transport and a lower
deck for cargo. We presume that the Condor A has a large vehicle
access door aft lthouah of it has not been seen c-
imagerv. (S 25X1
Secret
IA 84-10001
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The Condor A has four engines mounted on pylons under the wings.
The large diameter of the engine nacelle strongly 25X1
suggests that the engines are the large, high-bypass ratio types
reported by several Soviet sources as being under development for
more than a decade. Their dimensions place the engines in the
same size class as the large, high-bypass ratio turbofans
ing wide-body transports in the West. (S 25X1
25X1
Although the Condor's landing gear has not been seen on imagery,
analysis of a probable static test stand under construction at
Gostomel Airfield reveals what is almost certainly the landing
gear "footprint" for the Condor A. An identical footprint is on
a parking apron at Gostomel. Analysis and mensuration of these
footprints indicate two main gear assemblies, each no larger than
3 meters wide and 9 meters long, and a nose wheel assembly that
is a maximum of 4 meters wide and 2 meters long. Separation
between the two main landing gear assemblies, measured from the
center of each assembly, Figure 3 shows the most
likely positioning of the landing gear on the aircraft. (S
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Figure 2
Soviet Condor A and US C-SA Transport Aircraft
Note: C-5A drawing is copyrighted material from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1975-76.
Each block is 5 meters.
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Prototype Development
"AN-400" was the reported designation 025X1
the new aircratt. [Reference 2] This new aircraft was not seen
on imagery, however, until November 1982, 12 years after its
initial design phase reportedly had begun. The period between
preliminary design and a completed prototype was lengthy compared
to the four years needed to complete a C-5A prototype. (SF 25X1
25X1
The inability of the Soviets to produce or purchase a suitable
engine for the Condor A is likely to have delayed development of
the first prototype. The performance characteristics of the
high-bypass ratio turbofan engine make it the most desirable
engine for a heavy transport aircraft such as the Condor. The
Soviets lag behind the West in development of high-bypass
materials and associated production technologies for this
engine. During the mid-1970s, the Soviets unsuccessfully
attempted to purchase turbofan engines from General Electric and
Rolls Royce; they have been lookin for an engine suitable
for the Condor. (S ma 25X1
April 1982 imagery of Ramenskoye Flight Test Center provided the
first imagery evidence that a large high-bypass turbofan engine
was in flight testing. The imagery showed that an IL-76 Candid
had been modified at Ramenskoye--one of its four engines and a
pylon had been replaced with a new pylon-mounted Condor-sized
engine. This flight testing started only seven months before
rollout of the first Condor A prototype, suggesting that the
IL-76 was testing a follow-on or modified engine, rather than the
one fitted on the first prototype of the Condor A. Undetected
developmental testing for the Condor A engine was apparently
conducted prior to April 1982. (SF ~ 25X1
All prototype assembly of Condor has thus far been accomplished
in a new production facility for experimental aircraft at
Antonov's Kiyev OKB. The assembly building at Kiyev was started
in 1978 and completed in 1982, but an adjacent checkout or
testing hangar is still under construction. (S 25X1
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At least a few major aircraft sub-assembly components are trans-
ported to this facility from Tashkent. Imagery from March 1982
indicates that a large wing panel was delivered from Tashkent to
Kiyev atop a modified AN-22 Cock. It was imaged at Mozdok Air-
field enroute to Kiyev (figure 4). The delivery of this wing
panel was the first imagery evidence of the start of prototype
assembly for the Condor A. Two months later, in May 1982, a
probable wing carry-through structure--a single structure through
the fuselage to which both wings are attached--was also imaged
atop a modified Cock. Jud in from this ity and the
sighting of the Condor A , assembly of
the first prototype took about six months. (
Imagery of another Condor wing panel, which was also flown on an
AN-22 from Tashkent to Kiyev in March 1983, indicates that a
second prototype is being assembled. Based on the chronology of
similar activity associated with the assembly of the first proto-
type, we estimate that the second prototype could be complete in
early 1984. We believe this second prototype may be for ground
testing at Gostomel Airfield. Also, the prototype will appar-
to be flyable in order to get there. (S
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Testing
The first observable testing of the Condor was imaged between May
and July 1982. A large fuselage was seen inside a hydrostatic
test basin at Antonov's Kiyev OKB. The test basin had previously
been used to pressure-test the fuselage of the AN-22 Cock trans-
port, and was subsequently lengthened to accommodate the Condor
fuselage after the AN-22 test article was removed. (S 7X1
Antonov accomplished most of his flight testing for transport
aircraft at Gostomel Airfield, which until the mid-1970s had only
a grass runway. Since the mid-1970s the runway at Gostomel Air-
field has been surfaced with concrete. Only 2,700 meters of its
3,000-meter length was completed, however, before construction
was halted. This runway upgrade was almost certainly in prepa-
ration for the Condor flight test program. Previously, all
Soviet transport aircraft have had a soft-field landing capa-
bility. Paving the runway at Gostomel Airfield may indicate that
the Soviets have eliminated the soft-field landing requirement
for this aircraft. Without the soft-field landing requirement,
the engineering complexity as well as the weight of the aircraft
will be reduced. (S 25X1
A new probable static test stand has also been under construction
at Gostomel Airfield since mid-1980 (figure 5). An 88- by 78-
meter concrete apron was recently fitted with two gantry cranes
which span the apron. Their arrangement, relative to the antici-
pated position of the Condor prototype on the apron, indicates
that the Soviets may conduct tests related to the structural
integrity of the Condor's wing. Concrete foundations or jacking
positions have been constructed on the apron in a pattern which
suggests that they will be used to support load application
devices. Four foundations on each side of the apron are
positioned to lie directly below the Condor's wing mid-chord line
when the aircraft is aligned on the apron. Besides these foun-
dations, there are several similar positions forward of the wing
positions that are not aligned with the engines. Another pattern
of foundations surrounds the main landing gear positions. Only
the wing foundations appear to correlate well with the Condor A
airframe- The n?rr~ose of the other positions is unclear. (SP25X1
Series Production
Based on past Soviet practices we expect full scale production of
the Condor to begin in 1988 or 1989, depending on the progress
made with prototype development and testing. Production will
almost certainly take place at Tashkent Airframe Plant 84 which
has served as the production facility for other Soviet heavy and
medium transports, including the AN-22 Cock and the IL-76 Candid-
(S 25X1
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Based on the Soviets' operational requirements for IL-76 aircraft
as currently perceived within the Intelligence Community, we
expect IL-76 production to wind down in the late 1980s. We
believe the startup of Condor production will coincide with the
winding down of IL-76 production and the resultant freeing of
space for Condor production. The Soviets have broken ground for
a third assembly section at Tashkent, which will probably support
peak Condor production through the 1990s. The new facility will
add 44,000 square meters of primary production floorspace by
about 1990, raising the total production floorspace i this new
nroduction complex to about 160,000 square meters. (S
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Documents
Document references are available upon request. (U)
9 Secret
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