Antonov An-32 (Cline)

Tactical Military Transport [ 1976 ]

The Antonov An-32 Cline was an improvement over the existing An-26 Curl twin-engine transport aircraft.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 07/02/2020 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

Image from the United States Department of Defense imagery database.

GO TO SPECIFICATIONS [+]

Advertisements

The Antonov An-32 (NATO reporting name of "Cline") was developed as an improved version of the An-26 ("Curl") twin-engine transport. The An-32 introduced more powerful engines for better "hot-and-high" performance, allowing it to work in rougher conditions than the original An-26 was designed to operate in. The An-26 debuted in 1969 and went on to have a very lengthy service career, one that still continues today, while the An-32 followed in 1976 and has also managed to stay relevant with many world air powers today. First flight was on July 9th, 1976 and production has totaled 361 units - a far cry from the An-26's 1,400 units.

For simplicity, the An-32 retained the same general appearance of the An-26 and it was mostly internally that the new model line earned its own designation and subsequent reputation. The new engines increased performance, particularly for those customers requiring a transport aircraft for operations in tropical and high-altitude environments and this then led to its procurement by many customers in North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia including India, Iraq, and Sri Lanka among others.

The An-32 receives part of its short take-off and landing qualities from its high-mounted wings. The engines are mounted on top of the wings as opposed to under, allowing for complete clearance by ground personnel when working about the aircraft. The high placement of the engines also allows a large-diameter propeller blade to be fitted which helps to generate more thrust. Power is from 2 x ZMKB Progress AI-20DM turboprop engines generating approximately 5,100 horsepower each. From the this base design, several variants have emerged and these feature increased Maximum Take-Off Weights (MTOWs), improved avionics and other systems, and altogether different engine installations. The aircraft's maximum payload capacity was approximately 7.5 tons with cargo entry/exit accomplished from a powered rear-loading ramp under the tail unit. A standard crew is four to include two pilots, a flight engineer and loadmaster. Performance specifications include a maximum speed of 330 miles per hour, a cruise speed of 292 miles per hour and a range out to 1,555 miles. Its listed service ceiling is 31,165 feet.

Variants began with the original An-32 mark. The An-32A was a civilian market version of which 36 were manufactured. The An-32B was an improved An-32 mark and the An-32B-100 followed as a modernized form of that mark. The An-32B-110 introduced a new avionics package and reduced crew workload. The An-32B-120 was similar and outfitted with Western avionics for discerning customers. The An-32B-300 was given Western Allison AE200D turboprops of 4,600 horsepower each, again to reach a broader market audience. The An-32RE is the modernized form of the B-model series. The An-32LL served as a flying laboratory outfitted with various equipment options to suit the role. The An-32MP became and over-water patrol platform with its own equipment set. A firefighting version emerged as the An-32P. A basic cargo mark became the An-32V-200.©MilitaryFactory.com

Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications

Service Year

1976

Origin

Soviet Union

Status

ACTIVE
In Active Service.

Crew

4

Production

361
UNITS

Antonov OKB - Soviet Union

(View other Aviaton-Related Manufacturers)

Afghanistan; Angola; Armenia; Bangladesh; Colombia; Croatia; Cuba; Equatorial Guinea; Ethiopia; India; Iraq; Ivory Coast; Jordan; Libya; Mexico; Mongolia; Peru; Rwanda; Sri Lanka; Sudan; Tanzania; Ukraine

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

✓ Transport
General transport functionality to move supplies/cargo or personnel (including wounded and VIP) over range.

Length

78.0 ft
(23.78 m)

Width/Span

95.8 ft
(29.20 m)

Height

28.7 ft
(8.75 m)

Empty Wgt

37,038 lb
(16,800 kg)

MTOW

59,525 lb
(27,000 kg)

Wgt Diff

+22,487 lb
(+10,200 kg)

(Showcased structural values pertain to the base Antonov An-32 (Cline) production variant)

Installed: 2 x ZMKB Progress AI-20DM turboprop engines developing 5,112 horsepower each driving four-bladed propeller units.

Max Speed

329 mph
(530 kph | 286 kts)

Ceiling

31,168 ft
(9,500 m | 6 mi)

Range

1,553 mi
(2,500 km | 4,630 nm)

♦ MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

♦

(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the base Antonov An-32 (Cline) production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)

None typically though some operators have outfitted these transports with conventional drop bomb racks for combat.

Supported Types

Graphical image of an aircraft conventional drop bomb munition

(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)

An-32 - Base Series Production Model Designation

An-32A - Civilian Market Variant

An-32B - Improved An-32; Increased Take-Off Weight

An-32B-100 - Modernized An-32; upgraded engines with 6-bladed propeller systems.

An-32B-110 - Upgraded avionics suite

An-32B-120 - An-32B-110 with Western avionics

An-32B-300 - Outfitted with 2 x Allison AE2100D turboprop engines of 4,600 horsepower each.

An-32RE - Modernized An-32B variant

An-32LL - Flying Laboratory

An-32MP - Maritime Patrol Platform

An-32P - Firefighting Platform

An-32V-200 - Cargo version; upgraded engines with 6-bladed propeller systems; upgraded avionics; based on An-32B-100 model.

Military lapel ribbon for Operation Allied Force

Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Britain

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Midway

Military lapel ribbon for the Berlin Airlift

Military lapel ribbon for the Cuban Missile Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War

Military lapel ribbon for the French-Indochina War

Military lapel ribbon for the Golden Age of Flight

Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War

Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars

Military lapel ribbon for the Iran-Iraq War

Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War

Military lapel ribbon for the 1982 Lebanon War

Military lapel ribbon for the Malayan Emergency

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the attack on Pearl Harbor

Military lapel ribbon for the Six Day War

Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War

Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War

Military lapel ribbon for the Suez Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War

Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War

Military lapel ribbon for Warsaw Pact of the Cold War-era

Military lapel ribbon for the WASP (WW2)

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War

Military lapel ribbon for experimental x-plane aircraft

Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.