Russia continues design work on proposed successor to Antonov An-124

The Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute of Russia (TsAGI) announced that it is continuing to work on the design of the new heavy transport aircraft ‘Elephant’. The aircraft could become the successor to the Antonov An-124 four-engine cargo plane.

According to a statement released on July 7, 2022, a group of researchers has modified the design and general configuration of the newly proposed aircraft, particularly the fuselage cross-section, in order to increase capacity for transporting bulky cargo. If the project succeeds, the new freighter will feature a maximum cargo load of 180 tons.