You're reading: Ukraine may supply An-32 planes to Iraq ahead of schedule

Antonov State Enterprise (Kyiv) may supply six light An-32 planes under a contract with Iraq ahead of schedule.

Three out of the six aircraft have been already assembled in Ukraine but haven’t been accepted by Iraqi side yet, Director of Antonov Serial Plant Mykola Podhrebelny told reporter.

According to him, immediately after the enterprise receives the money for the first planes, they will start assembling the three remaining and may transfer them before 2012, which is a deadline set in the contract.

The Progress foreign trade company, a subsidiary of Ukrspecexport, signed the $550 million contract with Iraq in 2009.

Under the contract, Ukraine is to supply over 400 armored vehicles – in particular, BTR-4 vehicles and Antonov An-32 light transport aircraft, and to provide aircraft maintenance services.

Among the key contract operators are the Kharkiv-based Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau (KhKBM), Malyshev Plant (Kharkiv) and Antonov State Enterprise (Kyiv).

The Malyshev Plant made the first shipment of 20 regular armored personnel carriers, four command APCs and two medical APCs to Iraq in April 2011.

The second shipment of 62 armored personnel carriers will be supplied by the end of the year.