Antonov An 990 ((full)) Site
Beyond the "An-990": The Mythical Future of the World’s Largest Cargo Planes
flight simulation community. It is not a real aircraft manufactured by the Antonov Design Bureau Overview of the An-990 antonov an 990
The name "An-990" itself is telling. In Soviet aircraft naming conventions, the number usually indicates design bureau sequence or size. Since the An-124 (Ruslan) and An-225 (Mriya) were the pinnacle of Soviet heavy lift, an "An-990" would theoretically be a titan—but no such bureau number was ever assigned by Oleg Antonov’s design team. Beyond the "An-990": The Mythical Future of the
Overview
- Type: Proposed wide-body, long-range commercial airliner (concept)
- Manufacturer: Antonov Design Bureau (Kyiv, Ukraine)
- Status: Concept/proposal (not produced or flown)
- Role: Long-haul passenger transport competing in the large-aircraft market segment
Because the An-990 was a project that never progressed past the design/concept stage, a deep text on the subject requires exploring the context of its conception, its intended technological breakthroughs, and the reasons for its cancellation. Because the An-990 was a project that never
Design philosophy
The An-990 doesn’t fight aerodynamics — it collaborates. The wings are supercritical, with adaptive leading edges and a laminar-flow outer panel. Fly-by-light controls with gust-penetration alleviation let the airframe flex without fatigue. Every kilogram is accounted for, yet the design retains Antonov’s signature brutal simplicity: no fly-by-wire fanciness, just redundant hydraulics and raw mechanical honesty.
1. Antonov An-225 Mriya (The Real "King")
- Engines: 6 x Progress D-18T turbofans
- MTOW: 640 tons (1,410,000 lbs)
- Length: 84 meters
- Cargo hold: 1,300 cubic meters
- Status: Destroyed in the Battle of Antonov Airport (Hostomel), February 2022.