The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (2024)

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Ukraine's minister of foreign affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, confirmed the destruction of the mammoth An-225 Mriya following the Russian attack on February 24. The beloved plane, adorned in a yellow and blue paint job, was a symbol of pride for Ukraine, having been built by Ukrainian aircraft manufacturer Antonov. It is not clear why the one-of-a-kind plane was destroyed, whether it was a deliberate attack or collateral damage of the Russian invasion, but Kuleba says its destruction will not ruin Ukraine's "dream" of freedom. "Russia may have destroyed our 'Mriya'," Kuleba tweeted on February 27. "But they will never be able to destroy our dream of a strong, free and democratic European state. We shall prevail!" The Antonov An-225 Mriya, which in Ukrainian means "dream," was a unique aircraft in the skies. If a standard cargo plane is comparable to a flying tractor-trailer, the Mriya was a flying cargo ship, thanks to its size and payload capacity. The oversized plane was first commissioned by the Soviet Union to transport the communist state's newest spacecraft, the Buran Space Shuttle. The Buran program was aimed at matching the US' newly formed space shuttle program, as seen with a similar look to NASA's space shuttle. The Soviet Union, however, didn't have a way to get the new ship to the launchpad, located in Soviet Kazakhstan. While NASA simply strapped its space shuttle to the top of a Boeing 747 for long-range transport... The Soviet Union had to commission an entirely new aircraft to carry the Buran, which it hoped would later act as an aerial launching platform. Antonov, at the time, was one of the Soviet Union's primary aircraft manufacturers and had a focus on cargo planes. The An-225 Mriya was developed from the smaller An-124 Ruslan, a four-engine cargo plane featuring a similar design. Production of the oversized cargo bird at the behest of the Soviet government took three years, starting in the mid-1980s. Design consideration was given to the idea of transporting the Russian space shuttle, as seen with the twin-tail configuration designed to capture the airflow from around any vehicle placed on top of the aircraft. With the collapse of the Soviet Union coming shortly after the Mriya's production, however, the aircraft's original mission to carry Russian space shuttles soon evaporated and it was free to take on cargo charters full-time starting in 2001. As a result, its external carrying capabilities went largely unused. Cargo was loaded through the front of the aircraft as the nose could open up, allowing for the easy loading and unloading of cargo straight in and out. Its oversized cargo hold, which measured 141 feet by 21 feet by 14.5 feet, was ideal for carrying the most obscure objects whether it be massive wind turbine blades... ...50 cars... ...or a military tank. Its hold could be stuffed with more than 550,000 pounds of cargo, nearly double that of the Boeing 747-8 freighter. Every aspect of the Mriya was unique with six Motor Sich D-18T engines instead of the two, three, or four found on a standard cargo aircraft. Meanwhile, the plane had 32 wheels total, including four under the nose, to steer the massive feat of engineering. When not fully loaded, the Mriya had a reported range of nearly 10,000 miles, the equivalent of the distance between New York and Sydney, Australia. When it was weighed down, however, that came down to just under 3,000 miles — still enough to fly across the continent of Europe or from New York to Los Angeles. During its history, the impressive plane broke over 200 records, including airlifting the world's heaviest freight and transporting by air the world's longest cargo. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Antonov retained control of its flagship aircraft, controlled by subsidiary Antonov Airlines that chartered the behemoth out to customers around the world. According to the BBC, the plane costs around $30,000 per hour to charter. Only one of the type was ever produced, though Antonov partnered with a Chinese company to restart production in 2016. A second plane was started but was since left unfinished. The 70%-complete airframe sits in a Ukrainian warehouse near Kyiv. The Mriya's co*ckpit was located above the main cargo bay to give the aircraft as much capacity as possible for freight. Having been built during the Soviet era when aircraft technology was still developing, the antiquated co*ckpit was cavernous and required pilots and extra flight engineers to operate the plane. Four flight engineers, with two on each side of the co*ckpit, monitored the countless instruments and gauges to ensure the aging plane functioned safely. The An-225 was in maintenance for two years until 2020 when it reentered service to ferry medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic. In spring 2020, the plane flew from Tianjian, China to Warsaw, Poland with a 100-ton payload, which included face masks, COVID-19 tests, and other personal protective equipment. In one of the largest cargo shipments of the pandemic, hundreds of crates, pallets, and boxes were stored from floor to ceiling in the six-engine jet. Antonov's "Dream" joined the massive flotilla of aircraft dedicated to transporting invaluable supplies to the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19. The oversized aircraft joined the likes of the Boeing 747-400LCF Dreamlifter... ...and an Airbus A380 operated by charter airline Hi Fly in a worldwide airlift of people, goods, and supplies. While the An-225's two-year maintenance overhaul was supposed to ensure it continued to fly until at least 2033, Russian air missiles cut its life short. When Russia attacked Ukraine on February 24, the plane was undergoing repair and could not leave the country, leaving it vulnerable to Russian attacks. New images of the plane's damage have surfaced since Russian forces withdrew from the airport, which occurred last Thursday, according to CNN. Ukrainian military forces have since taken back control of the facility. Mriya captain Dmytro Antonov returned to the scene on Saturday to see the battered jet, saying the "sadness is so indescribable." "I just realized that exactly two months ago I went on my last business trip. I flew on Mriya," he said on Saturday, reported Reuters. "I could have never imaged such things happening." At the scene, Antonov pointed to the co*ckpit and said "there's nothing left here." According to Ukrainian state defense company Ukroboronprom, rebuilding the plane would take over five years and cost upwards of $3 billion. "Our task is to ensure that these costs are covered by the Russian Federation, which has caused intentional damage to Ukraine's aviation and air cargo sector," Ukroboronprom said in a statement. Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska poses in front of the aircraft for Vogue

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Thomas Pallini, Taylor Rains, and Azmi Haroun

Updated

2022-04-04T20:17:42Z

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (1)

  • The Antonov An-225 was the world's largest cargo plane, armed with six engines and a massive cargo hold.
  • The plane was destroyed in Ukraine after the Russian attack, however, it can be rebuilt for $3 billion.
  • The Soviet Union first commissioned the jet's production in the 1980s, but the plane took its last flight on February 5.

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Ukraine's minister of foreign affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, confirmed the destruction of the mammoth An-225 Mriya following the Russian attack on February 24.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (2)

World's largest cargo aircraft was destroyed during a Russian attack on an airfield, Ukrainian minister says

The beloved plane, adorned in a yellow and blue paint job, was a symbol of pride for Ukraine, having been built by Ukrainian aircraft manufacturer Antonov.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (3)

Real_life_Studio/Shutterstock

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It is not clear why the one-of-a-kind plane was destroyed, whether it was a deliberate attack or collateral damage of the Russian invasion, but Kuleba says its destruction will not ruin Ukraine's "dream" of freedom.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (4)

"Russia may have destroyed our 'Mriya'," Kuleba tweeted on February 27. "But they will never be able to destroy our dream of a strong, free and democratic European state. We shall prevail!"

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (5)

Source: Dmytro Kuleba

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The Antonov An-225 Mriya, which in Ukrainian means "dream," was a unique aircraft in the skies. If a standard cargo plane is comparable to a flying tractor-trailer, the Mriya was a flying cargo ship, thanks to its size and payload capacity.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (6)

The oversized plane was first commissioned by the Soviet Union to transport the communist state's newest spacecraft, the Buran Space Shuttle.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (7)

Source: Antonov Airlines and CNN

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The Buran program was aimed at matching the US' newly formed space shuttle program, as seen with a similar look to NASA's space shuttle. The Soviet Union, however, didn't have a way to get the new ship to the launchpad, located in Soviet Kazakhstan.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (8)

Source: Antonov Airlines and CNN

While NASA simply strapped its space shuttle to the top of a Boeing 747 for long-range transport...

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (9)

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Antonov, at the time, was one of the Soviet Union's primary aircraft manufacturers and had a focus on cargo planes.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (11)

Source: Antonov

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The An-225 Mriya was developed from the smaller An-124 Ruslan, a four-engine cargo plane featuring a similar design.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (12)

Source: Antonov

Production of the oversized cargo bird at the behest of the Soviet government took three years, starting in the mid-1980s.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (13)

Source: Antonov Airlines

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Design consideration was given to the idea of transporting the Russian space shuttle, as seen with the twin-tail configuration designed to capture the airflow from around any vehicle placed on top of the aircraft.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (14)

Source: Antonov Airlines

With the collapse of the Soviet Union coming shortly after the Mriya's production, however, the aircraft's original mission to carry Russian space shuttles soon evaporated and it was free to take on cargo charters full-time starting in 2001.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (15)

Source: Antonov Airlines

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As a result, its external carrying capabilities went largely unused.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (16)

Cargo was loaded through the front of the aircraft as the nose could open up, allowing for the easy loading and unloading of cargo straight in and out.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (17)

Source: Insider

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Its oversized cargo hold, which measured 141 feet by 21 feet by 14.5 feet, was ideal for carrying the most obscure objects whether it be massive wind turbine blades...

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (18)

Source: Insider

...50 cars...

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (19)

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...or a military tank.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (20)

Its hold could be stuffed with more than 550,000 pounds of cargo, nearly double that of the Boeing 747-8 freighter.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (21)

Source: Antonov Airlines and UPS Airlines

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Every aspect of the Mriya was unique with six Motor Sich D-18T engines instead of the two, three, or four found on a standard cargo aircraft.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (22)

Meanwhile, the plane had 32 wheels total, including four under the nose, to steer the massive feat of engineering.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (23)

Source: Insider

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When not fully loaded, the Mriya had a reported range of nearly 10,000 miles, the equivalent of the distance between New York and Sydney, Australia.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (24)

Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters

Source: Antonov

When it was weighed down, however, that came down to just under 3,000 miles — still enough to fly across the continent of Europe or from New York to Los Angeles.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (25)

Source: Popular Mechanics

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During its history, the impressive plane broke over 200 records, including airlifting the world's heaviest freight and transporting by air the world's longest cargo.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (26)

After the fall of the Soviet Union, Antonov retained control of its flagship aircraft, controlled by subsidiary Antonov Airlines that chartered the behemoth out to customers around the world. According to the BBC, the plane costs around $30,000 per hour to charter.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (27)

Source: BBC

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Only one of the type was ever produced, though Antonov partnered with a Chinese company to restart production in 2016.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (28)

Source: CNBC

A second plane was started but was since left unfinished. The 70%-complete airframe sits in a Ukrainian warehouse near Kyiv.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (29)

Source: CNN

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The Mriya's co*ckpit was located above the main cargo bay to give the aircraft as much capacity as possible for freight.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (30)

Having been built during the Soviet era when aircraft technology was still developing, the antiquated co*ckpit was cavernous and required pilots and extra flight engineers to operate the plane.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (31)

Advertisem*nt

Four flight engineers, with two on each side of the co*ckpit, monitored the countless instruments and gauges to ensure the aging plane functioned safely.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (32)

The An-225 was in maintenance for two years until 2020 when it reentered service to ferry medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (33)

Source: Antonov

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In spring 2020, the plane flew from Tianjian, China to Warsaw, Poland with a 100-ton payload, which included face masks, COVID-19 tests, and other personal protective equipment.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (34)

Source: Antonov

In one of the largest cargo shipments of the pandemic, hundreds of crates, pallets, and boxes were stored from floor to ceiling in the six-engine jet.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (35)

Source: Antonov

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Antonov's "Dream" joined the massive flotilla of aircraft dedicated to transporting invaluable supplies to the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (36)

The oversized aircraft joined the likes of the Boeing 747-400LCF Dreamlifter...

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (37)

Advertisem*nt

...and an Airbus A380 operated by charter airline Hi Fly in a worldwide airlift of people, goods, and supplies.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (38)

While the An-225's two-year maintenance overhaul was supposed to ensure it continued to fly until at least 2033, Russian air missiles cut its life short.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (39)

Advertisem*nt

When Russia attacked Ukraine on February 24, the plane was undergoing repair and could not leave the country, leaving it vulnerable to Russian attacks.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (40)

Source: Insider

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New images of the plane's damage have surfaced since Russian forces withdrew from the airport, which occurred last Thursday, according to CNN. Ukrainian military forces have since taken back control of the facility.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (41)

Source: CNN

Mriya captain Dmytro Antonov returned to the scene on Saturday to see the battered jet, saying the "sadness is so indescribable."

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (42)

Source: Reuters

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"I just realized that exactly two months ago I went on my last business trip. I flew on Mriya," he said on Saturday, reported Reuters. "I could have never imaged such things happening."

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (43)

Source: Reuters

At the scene, Antonov pointed to the co*ckpit and said "there's nothing left here."

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (44)

Source: Reuters

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According to Ukrainian state defense company Ukroboronprom, rebuilding the plane would take over five years and cost upwards of $3 billion.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (45)

Source: Insider

"Our task is to ensure that these costs are covered by the Russian Federation, which has caused intentional damage to Ukraine's aviation and air cargo sector," Ukroboronprom said in a statement.

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (46)

Source: Ukroboronprom

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Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska poses in front of the aircraft for Vogue

The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (47)

Ukraine's First Lady, Olena Zelenska posed in front of the wrecked aircraft for the cover ofVogue magazine's October 2022 issue.

The photoshoot,done in July, was in part to call attention to Zelenska's "frontline diplomacy."

A post shared by Vogue (@voguemagazine)

On August 24, 2022, Ukraine marked six months of Russia's invasion.

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The Ukrainian manufacturer of the world's largest plane says rebuilding it would cost $3 billion. See the full history of the famous six-engine jet that was destroyed. (2024)
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