This year in the history of domestic aviation will be marked by the anniversary of one of the most famous Soviet aircraft - the multi-purpose An-2. And such a solid age does not prevent the legendary "Annushka" from remaining in service, being used in a number of industries and even being mass-produced. However, sooner or later the car would be obsolete, but domestic aircraft designers do not want to let go An-2 retired: based on the famous Soviet aircraft, the latest unmanned aerial vehicles are already being actively created devices.
Despite the fact that the An-2 already has a long track record, the machine has not fully exhausted its functionality. Moreover, it turned out to be a fertile foundation for many different upgrades. In particular, they are quite actively engaged in this in China. For example, back in the fifties of the last century, the Soviet Union transferred documentation for the An-2 project to China in order to establish mass production there. As a result of this work, an aircraft appeared under the designation Y-5. The machine turned out to be so successful and relevant that the production of these aircraft continues to this day.
In addition, the Chinese version of the An-2 is being actively modernized in a variety of ways. A striking example of such a project that has emerged in recent years is the development of China Aerospace Science and Technology Group Co. called Feihong-98 (FH-98). In fact, the new aircraft is an An-2, a rebuilt unmanned aerial vehicle of a heavy class, the functionality of which is determined by the transportation of goods on domestic lines.
The FH-98 is essentially a basic Y-5 equipped with a set of new equipment: an autopilot, means of navigation and communication, as well as actuators for transmitting commands to units aircraft. As a result, the on-board electronics of the machine are able to independently guide the aircraft along a given route. And if necessary, the device can be entered into remote control mode. Some technical characteristics of this machine are also known: maximum takeoff weight - 5.25 tons, carrying capacity - 1.5 tons, practical range - 1,200 kilometers, which is higher than that of original. But the main speed and takeoff and landing characteristics have not changed.
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In October 2018, testing of the experimental FH-98 began with the first flight, after which several more months passed. As a result, the unmanned complex received a certificate of airworthiness, and almost immediately the company received the first orders for serial equipment and launched mass production. The first commercial flight of the FH-98 took place on August 21, 2020, and since then the machines have been actively used on Chinese domestic lines in remote areas. And in September 2020, during the military operation in Nagorno-Karabakh, various UAVs were also widely used, including the above-mentioned modification of the cargo-passenger An-2.
Such a successful experience in re-equipping the legendary Soviet aircraft could not go unnoticed by domestic aircraft designers. Therefore, the first assumptions appeared quite quickly that now Russia would undertake an attempt to create their own unmanned modification of the An-2 for use, for example, in the fight against air defense enemy. This theory is supported by the fact that at some Russian airfields there is an accumulation of these aircraft, and therefore it is believed that they are collected there for further conversion. And, perhaps, soon, not only in China, but also in Russia, the famous "Annushka" will be given a new ticket to life.
In addition to the topic: Antonov's children: the best aircraft of the USSR and Ukraine under the AN brand
Source: https://novate.ru/blogs/200322/62432/