Antonov An: 990 [patched]

In the late 1980s, the Antonov Design Bureau, led by the visionary Oleg Antonov, embarked on an ambitious project to create a next-generation cargo aircraft that could revolutionize the transportation of oversized and heavy loads. The An-990 was conceived as a massive, twin-boom, cargo aircraft with a lifting capacity of over 400 tons. The design philosophy centered around creating an aircraft that could efficiently transport large and heavy cargo, such as spacecraft, rocket boosters, and even other aircraft, to remote areas or areas with limited infrastructure.

The An-990 was to be powered by six high-bypass turbofans, mounted under the wings in pods. These engines would have provided a combined thrust of over 1.2 million pounds, enabling the aircraft to achieve a cruise speed of approximately Mach 0.85 and a range of around 15,000 kilometers. The performance characteristics of the An-990 would have made it an ideal platform for a variety of roles, from civil heavy-lift operations to potential military applications. Antonov An 990

The An-990 content includes four distinct versions within the "Air, Space, Fire, and Water" series: Air-Launcher: In the late 1980s, the Antonov Design Bureau,